Through the Looking Glass
by Ilovetoread09
Summary: Richard Castle is bored when he's wheelchair bound after a skiing accident. However, that changes when he becomes intrigued with the woman from across the way. The Lives of Others AU.
1. Chapter 1

AN: So, a new story, sort of. This is a rewrite of a story from about a year ago. I changed a lot, so it's not a complete rehash of the first try.

Disclaimer: I don't own Castle.

* * *

Richard Castle was restless, and even worse, bored. Neither were ever a good state for him to be in, and the combination of the two was just plain dangerous. Unfortunately, he knew it was his own fault for his current mood, but that didn't mean he didn't resent it. So, why was he this way?

It was because he was confined to a wheelchair for six weeks while his broken knee healed. It had been his choice to 'show off' on the slopes to his daughter, Alexis, on their ski trip during winter break. His stunt sent him plunging headfirst into a pile of rocks, his knee almost shattering in the process. The doctor said he was fortunate to only have broken it. Rick didn't see it that way.

Now, he sat in the chair, his hands gripping the metal sides as he stared out into the city. He envied the people below, and longed to be able to go outside again without crutches as support.

"Dad, stop moping," Alexis ordered from the table.

"Sorry, Pumpkin, but I can't help it," he objected, wheeling himself around to face her.

"It's only a few more weeks, then you can walk again," she said, in an attempt to placate him.

He scowled. It may be just a few more weeks, but it was going to feel much longer than that. He had tried everything to entertain to himself, from writing to playing video games. Unfortunately, the pain medication made his head fuzzy, so he could never concentrate on either task for long.

"I know," he grumbled, his mouth forming into a pout. She laughed.

"Okay, well, I'm going off to the library to study," she announced. "I'll see you later tonight." She left, leaving him alone to sulk.

Sighing, he went over to the kitchen, grabbed a bag of popcorn from the pantry, and stuck it in the microwave. As he waited for it to pop, he went to retrieve a glass, which of course, was on a high shelf. Carefully balancing himself on one leg, he reached up, gripping the glass, before falling back down into his seat. Once everything was ready, he went into his study and looked around, trying to figure out what to do. Spotting his old spy kit, he rummaged through it until he found a pair of high-grade binoculars and then rolled himself back to the window over looking the city.

Armed with binoculars in one hand and popcorn in the other, he began to watch the civilians of the city. Looking down to the street, he smiled as people walked through the streets, attempting to traverse the snow, which blanketed the sidewalks and made piles near the street corners. He chuckled as one women chased after her young son, who was happily climbing onto of the snow piles. This was almost better than watching television.

After a while, he grew tired of watching the streets and switched his focus to the apartment building across from him. Moving from window to window, a feeling of disappointment filled him as he saw that it was mainly quiet, save for the occasional pet roaming an apartment. It was still early in the day, perhaps there would be more activity later.

Grumbling to himself, he wheeled back into his study and opened his laptop, settling on binging whatever show he hadn't seen yet. About halfway through a speech the character with a southern accent was making, Rick felt his eyelids slowly close and soon he went into a deep sleep.

* * *

He awoke a while later, the credits of the latest episode rolling on the screen of the laptop. Pursing his lips, he turned to the window and saw that it had grown dark out as he slept, the lights of buildings illuminating the city, He beamed, grabbing his binoculars again and rolling to the window. Ah, just as he suspected, much more activity was happening in the other building now.

He moved from apartment to apartment, this time taking longer as he observed the occupants either preparing dinner or watching TV. There was one couple that was in the middle of a full-on make-out session. He quickly moved onto another window after that display.

Soon, his eyes landed on the window right across from him. He was about to look somewhere else when he saw the apartment was empty, but stopped when he noticed the door to the apartment open, revealing a beautiful brunette, with what appeared to be hazel eyes and a heart shaped face. He watched as she deposited her keys on the coffee table, along with a badge and gun. So a cop, and from the looks of her clothing, a detective, he deduced.

His eyes followed her figure as she disappeared into another room,taking her gun and badge with her. She returned a few moments later, her hair, which had been in a ponytail, was now released from the band and flowing free to her shoulders. As she ran a hand through the gorgeous locks, he noted that she didn't wear any type of ring. So, she was single. Something inside him was very pleased with that revelation.

He hummed to himself as she discarded the black blazer she wore onto a leather couch, leaving her in a white blouse, black slacks, and some very sexy blacks heels. She went into the kitchen, opened the refrigerator and pulled out what appeared to be a take-out carton before going to lounge on the couch.

He chuckled. Not the cooking type then.

He continued to watch her for a few more minutes, until he heard the sound of the loft door opening. Slightly startled, he fumbled with the binoculars before hanging them on the arm of the chair.

"Hey, Dad," Alexis greeted. "What's up?" She approached him, resting a hand on one of the handles in the back of chair.

"Not much," he shrugged, trying to hide the glasses as he peered up at her. She raised an eyebrow, snatching the binoculars and holding them up.

"Spying on the neighbors? How very Hitchcock of you," she teased, before handing them back to him.

"Haha. Don't worry most of the stuff I've observed has been G-rated," he replied.

She scrunched up her nose in disgust.

"Eww, do not give me any details." She tilted her head toward the counter. "I bought pizza for dinner."

"Yes," he exclaimed, pumping his fist in the air, the woman across the way momentarily forgotten. He was so in the mood for pizza.

He rolled himself to the counter, the red head trailing after him. She helped him grab a slice and they ate, talking about what they had done during their short time apart. He didn't mention the brunette to Alexis, wanting to keep the woman his own little secret.

However, the detective with hazel eyes stayed in the back of his mind for the rest of the night.

* * *

AN: So, there is the start. I know what I want to do with this story, but don't have it completely written out. Hopefully, it takes me less than three years to write.


	2. Chapter 2

AN: So, here's the next chapter. I find that I'm making Rick out of character here. I don't know. Anyway, thank you for reviews, favorites, and follows. They're always appreciated.

Disclaimer: I don't own Castle.

* * *

Rick hummed in satisfaction, his eyes running over the words on the computer. He had written close to a chapter in only a few hours. It was a feat, particularly since he had to fight the haze from the pain medication. However, the words had refused to contain themselves. So, here he was, churning out the beginnings of a new story in a matter of hours.

A week had passed since his sighting of the brunette from across the way. During that time, his mind had conjured up a story for her. What her life was like, what kind of cases she got, and all the other things that he could think of that involved her. Soon, a new character had formed in his head and he had run with it, typing furiously on his laptop. He still didn't know her name. It couldn't be that hard to find, though. After all, how many female cops were there in the city? He would look it up later.

Glancing at the clock on his computer, Rick saw that it was almost time for the woman to be home. Ignoring the part of his brain that nagged at him about how creepy that was, he rolled over to the window, binoculars in hand. Like clockwork, as he peered into the window, the door opened and she stepped in, shedding her jacket and throwing it on the couch. Rough day then, he mused.

Over the past few days, as he watched, he was able to pick out some of her tells. When she had a hard day, or when her day was good or maybe even just okay. Throwing her jacket on the sofa meant that her day had been tiring.

"And she'll be going into her styrofoam temple in 3...2...1...Ha!" He chuckled as she reached into her refrigerator and pulled out a takeout carton. Shuddering, he hated to think of what she had in there. The fridge was probably covered in mold, since she spent so little time at home.

His eyes followed as she slumped onto the couch, her fork stabbing at the food. Mouth tilting upwards, he couldn't help but think how adorable she looked with her nose scrunched up, mouth formed into a frown. She also did it when she was thinking or talking on the phone.

Soon, she placed the container on the coffee table, leaned her head back on the pillow, and closed her eyes. He frowned. She should go to bed, her back was going to hurt if she slept like that. Sighing, he rolled away, wishing he could wake her up.

A moment later, his mother walked in, eyeing the binoculars.

"Continuing your voyeurism, kiddo?" she teased. "Seriously, dear, it's unhealthy. Why can't you find something else to do?" She raised an eyebrow.

"I don't do it that often," he objected, pouting. "Besides, I have been writing."

"So, Gina will finally stop calling with threats to kill you if you don't send her something?"

"Yes, Mother," he muttered. "My blood-sucking ex wife slash publisher will be tamed."

"Good." Rolling her eyes, she picked up the binoculars and examined them. "Just be careful, kiddo. Your spying make come back to bite you."

Scoffing, he snatched them back. "I know what I'm doing. It's just for a few more weeks."

"Whatever you say," she mumbled before going upstairs.

Shaking his head, he turned his attention back to the window, only to see the woman still laying on the sofa, clearly fast asleep.

Well, hopefully she's okay in the morning.

That was his last thought of her as he wheeled himself into his room and prepared himself for bed.

* * *

Unfortunately, his wish wasn't granted.

Rick watched as she dragged herself around her apartment the next morning, attempting to get ready for work. However, the bags under her eyes and the constant coughing told him she should be doing the exact opposite. Finally, after a painful ten minutes, she took out her phone and called what he assumed was the precinct. Then, she lay down on the couch and curled up, letting a few coughs escape in the process.

He immediately took out his phone and searched a few key words. After perusing through a few articles and looking at some pictures, which were few and far between, he deduced that she was Detective Katherine Beckett of the 12th precinct. Excellent credentials to match a beautiful woman. Now, he just needed to do a few more things.

Dialing a number, he waited. After a few moments, the person on the other end, an elderly man it seemed, answered and he grinned.

"Yes, hi," he answered in the suave tone he used with his fans. "My cousin, Kate Beckett, lives in your building. Unfortunately, I can't remember the apartment she lives in and she isn't picking up her phone. Do you think you could give me the number?" After a few seconds, the man on the other end complied and gave the information.

After he hung up, Rick cringed. A detective who lived in a building with poor security? He was afraid to think of what would happen if he had been someone with ill intentions. But he wasn't, fortunately.

He proceeded with his last phone call. When satisfied, he waited, going back to writing. He needed to think of a name for his savvy detective. Something hot, but respectful, mostly. Heat maybe? Mmm yes, Heat sounded good. He could already see some of the titles. As he pondered, he continued to keep an eye on the other apartment and sighed in relief when he saw her answer the door.

The shock on her face was priceless when she saw the deliveryman. He talked for a few moments before she accepted the bag. She shut the door and turned around, allowing Rick to see the confusion but gratitude etched on her face as she pulled a soup container, a packet of crackers, and a large bottle of water from the bag.

With the knowledge that everything was settled, Rick rolled himself to the door and went to the elevator. Reaching the lobby, he waved as a figure approached the building.

"What did you tell her?" he asked, as produced out a wad of cash from his wallet.

"That it was from her coworkers and they hope she gets better," the boy responded.

"Good man," Rick praised. "And here is the payment and your tip."

The boy beamed, taking the money and bounding off to his next delivery.

Rick chuckled, returning to the elevator. A bowl of chicken noodle soup and some fluids should do her some good. He pushed the irritating voice that was telling him he was way beyond overstepping. He was concerned citizen, that was all.

Now, it was time to send Gina his idea regarding the sassy, sexy detective with brown hair and hazel eyes.


	3. Chapter 3

AN:So, here's the next chapter. For the purposes for this story, we're going to pretend Rick has really fancy almost-army grade binoculars, okay? Thanks for the reviews, follows, and favorites! They're always appreciated.

Disclaimer: I don't own Castle.

* * *

It was week three of his spying, when Rick realized something. Of all the times he had watched Kate, she never had anyone over. No coworkers, no possible boyfriends or guys in general, nothing. With the exception of the occasional delivery guy, she lived alone. He knew the life of a detective could be taxing, but that much? She came and left home like clockwork, never straying from routine. Definitely a creature of habit.

 _She must be very lonely,_ he mused.

Well, she didn't seem lonely, but what did he know? He had never actually spoken to her. Something he planned to remedy that once he was free of his cast. Although, it would take some effort to not come across as a creeper stalker. He would worry about that when the time came, however.

Now, he was just making the final edits to the latest chapter of his newest novel. Gina had given him the okay on the storyline a few days before and since then, his fingers had been flying across the keyboard. The only drawback was having to decrease the pain meds, but it was worth it.

Grinning, he saved the document before rolling over to the window, prepped his binoculars, and began moving from window to window. He was about to bypass Kate's, but stopped when he saw something unusual. She was home?

Glancing at his phone, Rick saw it was much too early, five hours early to be precise, for her to have come home. As he observed, he noted that she was angry and...upset? He was pretty sure there were tears in her eyes, at least from what he could see.

Upon entering, she slammed the door, stomped toward what he had presumed was a cabinet, and threw it open. What was revealed blew him away.

A set of white shutters, and a small window, was covered in pictures and sticky notes. Her own personal murder board it seemed.

Quickly adjusting his binoculars to the highest setting, he zoomed in closer and saw one picture of a dead woman, murdered. The features of the woman eerily resembled Kate's. He closed his eyes. That must be have been her mother, and her motive for becoming a cop. Shit.

Her behavior made sense. Dedicated to her work to find justice for those who couldn't and wouldn't stop until she could. Maybe dedicated to the point where it was the only thing in her life, since her mother's case obviously remained unsolved. Whatever happened at work involved the case and now she was diving in. He sat eagerly awaiting to see how she worked, ignoring the pang of sadness he felt at her situation.

This was going to be fun.

* * *

The next three hours were interesting to say the least. He had never seen someone consume coffee like she did. She had prepared a mug and drank it in mere minutes. Now, it appeared she was setting up another one. If she was looking to pull an all nighter, she was certainly on her way to achieving it.

In all that time, however, the murder board hadn't changed. With the exception of a few post-its here and there, the board's arrangement remained. She had done some research on the computer, but that had fallen through. It was a dead end and he could tell she was close to giving up. He wished he could help her, console her, but he couldn't.

He knew guys, guys that could probably crack the case wide open for her. However, he couldn't call them, it wasn't his place. He wished he could, longed to be able to help her. If he was there with her, he would tell her to get some rest and look at it with fresh eyes in the morning. He would try to make her laugh, just to see her smile and relieve the tension off her shoulders. There were a myriad of things he wanted to do, but his current situation prevented him from doing so. Maybe one day, when his cast was removed and he would finally be rid of the damn cast, he could give her help, a shoulder in lean on when she wanted and/or needed it. For now, he would watch and wait until he had the ability to advise her in some way.

He watched as her shoulders sagged, the mug being placed on the counter. She stepped in front of the shutters and closed them, darkening her apartment. She dragged herself over to the couch and slouched down, her hands covering her face. Her shoulders shook and it took Rick a second to realize she was crying. He unconsciously rolled closer, his hand reaching out to comfort her. He stopped himself, his heart becoming heavy as realized he couldn't do that. So, he settled for watching over her instead. It was the best way he could be there for her.

For now.


	4. Chapter 4

AN: Hey, here's the next chapter! So, I hate to be that person, but please, please suspend some belief for this story. In case you haven't noticed, you kind of need to. Thanks for the follows, favorites, and reviews. They're always appreciated!

Disclaimer: I don't own Castle.

* * *

Week four passed in a blur for Rick. Alternating his time between spying and writing entertained him more than he could have imagined and soon he found himself in the fifth week of his cast. He had to keep reminding himself one more week until he was free of the damn thing and could finally walk outside to join the rest of civilization. After some physical therapy, of course.

While he wrote, the beautiful detective across the way continued her own investigation into her mother's murder. He watched as she added and removed things to her makeshift board. He observed her consuming cups of coffee and nothing else as she spent hours after work reading over case files that were splayed out on her coffee table. While fascinating and admirable, he knew her obsession wasn't healthy. She didn't get enough sleep and her diet as of late lacked any sort of nutritional value as far as he could tell. How she functioned during the day was beyond him.

Unfortunately, sending over food was not an option. He had a feeling her coworkers were unaware of her extracurricular activities, so trying to aid in keeping her healthy would only rouse suspicion at this point. Perhaps when he was better he would find a way to get a decent meal in her stomach, like dinner in a nice restaurant. Yes, that would work. He smiled, the image of her sitting across the table from him forming in his head. He then shook his head, frowning. It was too soon to think of that, he still needed to actually talk to the woman first.

Rolling himself from his current position by his desk, he looked out the window, binoculars in hand. He smiled as he spotted Kate's apartment door opening and she stepped inside, looking as gorgeous as ever. Today she was wearing a tan skirt, which showed off her incredible legs. As she did her usual routine of removing her work items, he noticed that she seemed on edge. Her posture was stiff, her back straight and her eyes shifted around on occasion.

"What the hell?" he muttered, surprised at the sudden change in behavior. However, it was her next move that unsettled him.

She went to the windows and yanked the blinds down, covering up the glass panes completely. He froze, his heart rate increasing. Had he been discovered? That couldn't be it. If she knew he was watching her, why not confront him? Perhaps she was providing a warning? That didn't make sense either. She seemed too paranoid. The only other thing he could come up with was something had happened with her mother's case, or another case. Had she been threatened?

He clenched his jaw at the thought of someone trying to hurt her. It was ridiculous, really. He didn't even know her, but he still feared for her safety. It was strange, but he couldn't help it. Sighing, he rolled away from the window in frustration. As he went into the kitchen, he felt on edge, his fingers tapping the arm of his chair nervously. There had to be something he could do.

He just needed to figure out what.

* * *

That night, he lay in bed, staring at the ceiling as he flipped through the options in his head. He could call the cops, but that would put him at risk. Although, he would put her safety above his freedom if he had to. However, it would be on a complete hunch. The other option is he could intervene himself. Find a way over to the apartment to check on her. Hmm, no, that wouldn't work. Something told him she wouldn't answer the door to a complete stranger at this time.

Realizing he wasn't going to get any sleep, Rick dragged himself out of bed and into his wheelchair. Rolling to his usual spot, he looked through the binoculars and saw that her blinds were still closed. He hoped she was asleep at least.

"Dad?" the groggy voice of his daughter inquired from the stairs.

"Alexis," he started. "Sorry, I didn't mean to wake you." He put the binoculars down and faced her.

"It's okay, I couldn't sleep." She walked down and headed into the kitchen.

"Everything okay?" he asked.

"Yeah, just stressed about midterms," she replied. "Want some hot chocolate?"

"Sure," he responded with a grin. "And I'm sure you'll do great, Pumpkin."

She shrugged, pulling out two mugs and turning on the stove. "So, what are you doing up?"

He mirrored her gesture. "Just thinking about…things."

She smirked. "You mean the woman across the way?"

He scowled. "No."

She laughed softly. "You're an awful liar, Dad. I can see it in your face."

"Okay, fine," he relented. "Yes, it is about her. I think she's in trouble."

"What kind of trouble?" She raised an eyebrow.

"I'm not quite sure." He frowned. It probably wasn't a good idea to tell Alexis everything.

"So, you think she's having a problem, but you're not quite sure what it is?" He shook his head. She sighed. "Do you have evidence that she might be in danger or something? I know you said she was a cop."

"No, not really, just that her behavior was weird today. She was acting all paranoid," he responded, pursing his lips, eyes sliding to the window again.

The red head rolled her eyes. "Are you sure it's not just your imagination?"

"I'm positive," he answered with conviction.

She hesitated before saying, "Do you want my honest opinion?" His head nodded in affirmation. "I think you should stop spying. It might be making you see things that aren't there." He bit his tongue, wanting to say all that he had witnessed in the past two weeks. "Look, I've watched you stare out that window the past few weeks every chance you get. It's almost like you're obsessed with her." He cringed, knowing she was right. "It's not healthy, Dad."

His smile grew tight. "You're right, Alexis." He wheeled over to the stove to turn off the now boiling milk.

"I just don't want you to get hurt," she said quietly. "I'm not stupid, Dad, I know you've been writing more because of her. However, what happens if she doesn't turn out to be as you've imagined her?"

He shrugged. "There's always a risk. However, I need to find out."

"Alright," she conceded shaking her head. "But, if she is in trouble and you decide to intervene, just be careful, okay?"

"I will, Pumpkin." He shot her a reassuring smile. Pouring the freshly made hot chocolate into their mugs, he handed her one. "Now, what's going with those midterms?"

With that, the subject of Kate was dropped for the rest of the night.


	5. Chapter 5

AN: So, here's the next chapter. Thank you for the follows, favorites, and reviews for this story. I really appreciate them.

Disclaimer: I don't own Castle.

* * *

It was the beginning of week six, and Rick was doing a victory lap around the loft in his wheelchair. He was supposed to get his cast off and schedule his first session of physical therapy that day. This meant no more pain medication, no more wheelchair, and perhaps meeting Kate Beckett.

He sighed as he thought of her. These days, he was no longer privy to her life. The blinds remained closed, unless she was out. However, the moment she arrived home, they would be shut again, and he would be left in the dark. It disappointed him, but not too much. Soon, he would be able to get know her in person.

"Dad, you ready?" Alexis called from the door. She was taking him to his appointment.

"Coming, Pumpkin," he replied, wheeling over to meet her.

She chuckled. "I guess you're happy, finally get to be free of your cast."

He nodded, pumping his fists in the air. "Yep, finally getting rid of this damn thing."

"All right, let's go then."

They took his town car, since it would be nearly impossible for him to navigate in crutches or a wheelchair. When they reached the office and entered the waiting room, Rick looked around, observing the patients. The room was full, meaning they had a long wait ahead of them. The thought made him pout.

Hobbling on his crutches, he took a seat, before picking up one of the tabloid magazines. He flipped through it half-heartedly until something caught his eye. It was a blurb, albeit a small one, about him. It teased of a new novel possibly being in the works, which according to the paper, was a surprise due to the dry spell he'd been in recently. He groaned, knowing who was responsible for this. He would talk to his ex-wife later.

After thumbing through a few more magazines, one of which he may or may not have copied down a dessert recipe from, he heard his name being called. Alexis elected to wait outside and he went in, sitting on the examination table. He waited, looking around, examining the bare walls of the room, which were a plain, boring shade of white. He sometimes missed the more decorative rooms of the pediatrician's office from when Alexis was younger. The rooms gave off a cheerier disposition than the one he was sitting in now. As he mused, he heard the door open, and the doctor walked in.

"So, you ready to get that cast off, Rick?" the doctor, name Dr. Stevenson, asked.

"Absolutely!" Rick exclaimed.

Doctor Stevenson chuckled, before quickly explaining what would happen. Rick paled a little at the mention of a saw, but knew it was harmless since Alexis had a cast removed after breaking her arm when she was nine. He was just happy to be free to roam again.

About an hour later, Rick emerged from the office, cast free and with instructions to do physical therapy twice a week. He felt like a new man, grinning as he and Alexis slid into the car.

"So, want to celebrate with ice cream?" she asked, giving him a knowing smile.

"Ahh," he hesitated, itching to get home. "Maybe some other time; I need to discuss something with Gina."

"The magazine blurb?" his daughter guessed.

"Yeah, that." He let out an exasperated sighed. "I really hate it when she and Paula do stuff without my say so."

"Well, you'll straighten them out, I'm sure," she teased.

He rolled his eyes, before looking out the window. He would be talking to Gina all right.

However, not before he took another glance at a certain detective.

* * *

Once they arrived at the loft, Rick practically skipped, or what could be considered a skip with his stiff knee, to his office. Opening the drawer in his desk, he grabbed the binoculars and went to look through them. However, he froze when he heard the sound of a throat clearing behind him. He turned, having the decency to look sheepish as he locked eyes with the youngest Castle.

"Dad," she started. He raised an eyebrow. "Maybe it's time to put those away, _permanently_ ," she said, putting an emphasis on the last word.

"Just one more peek?" he begged. She rolled her eyes, but consented by waving her hand in approval. He turned, looking through the binoculars again. "But really, Dad, what are you going to say to her when you first meet her? 'Hey, I saw you through the window and have been watching your every move? I even wrote book about you?'" She scoffed.

"Inspired by," he corrected, frowning as he looked at the windows. She wasn't home, yet. Maybe he should give up and...Oh, there she was! He beamed as she opened the door, doing her usual routine of tossing her keys and un-holstering her gun. She was still as tense as before, but less weary. She walked into her room, which meant she was storing her gun and badge there.

Coming back out, she went to the fridge and frowned. Pulling out her phone, she dialed a number, most likely a delivery place. After a few moments of conversation, she hung up before going over to her bookshelf. She ran a finger across the spines with some consideration and then pulled a book out. Looking closer, he was pretty sure it was one of his. He felt a swell of happiness at the fact she liked his books.

"Dad," Alexis interrupted from behind.

"Just a few more minutes," he begged. She huffed, rolling her eyes. He peered into the glasses once more, only to see her looking up from her book, furrowing her eyebrows. He frowned. Did she think someone was watching her? As if to answer him, she got up from the couch and walked to the windows, her hand on the blinds' rod. He sighed, knowing she was going to close them. However, what happened next shocked him.

She stopped, turning around to face the door, forgetting about the blinds. She walked over to the door, which meant her food had arrived. She opened the door, received the package, and reached into her back pocket to get her wallet.

"Okay, Dad, that's enough," Alexis reached up to tug the binoculars away, but he moved them away as he continued to watch the scene in front of him unfold. "Come on, you need to,"

"Call 911," he interrupted her.

"What?"

"Call 911," he repeated, his voice taking on a frantic tone. "The apartment's being invaded."

He watched in horror as the man pushed his way into the apartment, his gloved hands grabbing her by the throat. Kate kneed him in the groin, forcing his hands to release her neck. She kicked him again, making him fall on the floor. Running to the kitchen, she opened a drawer, and pulled out a knife. By this time, the intruder had gotten up, making his way over to her. She lunged at him, but he caught her wrist, trying to wrench the knife away from her.

Rick gasped as the man placed one hand on her face, slamming her head into the counter top. She, on the other hand, grasped his waist, and using his grip on her wrist, pulled him down to the floor with her. Rick couldn't see, but he was sure they were wrestling. He held his breath as he didn't see any movement for a few moments. When he did, his stomach sank.

The intruder and Kate were standing up, still fighting. However, Kate had cuts on her face and neck. Her head was starting to bleed too. The man had some cuts in similar places, but seemed to be in better shape than her. Now, time seemed to move slowly as Rick watched the man back Kate into the counter and bang her head against it, hard. Her eyes rolled back before she became limp from unconsciousness. Rick felt bile rise in his throat as the man thrust the knife into her a few times before dropping her to the floor, taking off with the knife.

Rick stood in his study, frozen in shock.

"Dad, they're coming, but I don't know the apartment number," Alexis said. Her comment snapped him out of his state.

He ran out of the apartment as fast as he could with his newly healed knee, ignoring his daughter yelling after him. He took the stairs, skipping every other step. He ran outside, into the snow, not caring it was freezing out. As he made it across the street, he slipped on ice, landing face front in the snow. He cringed, feeling pain in his knee. However, he ignored it as best as he could, making his way into Kate's building.

Passing the security guard, he ran up the stairs to the sixth floor, cringing as the pain in his knee increased. He made it, throwing the door open and searching for her apartment. It wasn't hard, since hers was the one with the door open. Sprinting into the apartment, he went for the kitchen, biting his lip when he saw her body lying on the floor, battered and bruised. He knelt down, placing his fingers on her neck for a pulse, sighing in relief when he felt a faint one. Moving to her head, he gently shook her, trying to wake her up, cursing when she didn't. His eyes moved over body, unsure of what to. Blood flowed from the stab wounds, but there were too many for him to put pressure on and her head has bleeding as well. She was also sporting a black eye. Thinking fast, he looked around the kitchen for something to use. Seeing a towel on one of the cabinet handles, he grabbed it and placed it on her head. Thankfully, it was long enough that he could wrap it around her head and tie it, holding the pressure. As he tried to figure out what to do next, he heard a soft groan.

"Kate, can you hear me?" he murmured. Sirens wailed in the distance.

A soft grunt was the reply he received.

"Come on, Kate, open you eyes, well, eye please," he said, realizing that her back eye was probably swollen shut. The sound of sirens was coming closer. She slowly opened her one eye, clearly disoriented.

"Wha," she croaked out, her voice barely audible.

"Shh, you're going to be okay," he murmured, stroking her hair. He felt tears form in his eyes as he heard the EMTs approach the apartment. He said the words again, more to convince himself than her.

"You're going to be okay."


	6. Chapter 6

AN: Here's the next chapter! As always, thanks for the reviews, follows, and favorites. I really appreciate them.

Disclaimer: I don't own Castle.

* * *

Chapter 6

As the EMTs loaded Kate up into the ambulance, Rick was negotiating with the driver to allow him to go with her.

"Look, she doesn't have anyone else," he pleaded in an attempt to soften man in front of him.

"Sir, you're not related to her, in any way, shape, or form," the man, David, responded. "I'm sorry, but I can't let you go with her."

Rick bowed his head, sighing. This was not going the way he wanted.

"What if I'm her boyfriend?" he asked.

"Mr. Castle," the man hesitated. "I admire you for caring, really I do; however, that's not enough."

Rick huffed, thinking, He didn't want her to go in alone and wake up alone. The problem was, he wasn't sure if she had any relatives or coworkers to look after her.

"Um, I think I broke my knee," he hedged as David rolled his eyes. "I'm serious. When I went to help her, I took a hard fall on the ice, and something cracked. I should have it checked out."

David frowned, squinting in doubt. "Fine, you can sit in the back, but stay out of the way."

Rick nodded before gingerly walking to the back of the ambulance and sitting down, making sure to stay in the corner.

On the way to the hospital, he watched as the EMTs worked on Kate, trying to keep her heart beating. It terrified him, the thought of her being so close to death. He was relieved that had been close enough to come to her aid, but now it was up to the doctors to keep her alive.

As the ambulance rode, Kate came in and out of consciousness twice, her eyes flickering around in fright. He tried to soothe her with words of comfort, but he wasn't sure if she heard him. She fell unconscious again within a minute or two.

When they arrived at the hospital, Kate was rolled out first with Rick following suit. He went to go follow her, but was led away to a bed at the entrance of the ER. Pouting, he looked around, seeing the usual bustle of an emergency room. His eyes wandered over to where she had been wheeled to and grumbled under his breath when he saw a door blocking his view. How was she doing? He needed to know.

As if answering his prayers, a doctor approached his bed. The man was young, good looking with blonde hair and blue eyes, the quintessential poster boy for hospital ads.

"Mr. Castle?" he asked, looking at a chart.

"Yes, that's me," he replied anxiously.

"I'm Dr. Lyell. It says here that you think you broke your knee?"

He nodded. "Yes, I came in with the woman they just rolled into the OR. How is she?"

"I'm sorry, Mr. Castle, I cannot disclose that information," Dr. Lyell replied, placing the chart down and picking up the author's leg. "Let's take a look at your leg now, shall we?"

As the doctor poked and prodded him, Rick's gaze stayed on the double doors that led to the OR. He hoped that someone would come out or go in, but there was no movement, just the sight of the double doors.

"Ouch," he yelped as the man poked his knee.

"Well," Dr. Lyell started, taking off his gloves. "I'm going to send you for an x-ray, but your knee is most likely broken."

"Great, another six weeks in the wheelchair," Rick muttered.

"You broke your knee before?" the doctor asked, his eyebrows furrowing in confusion.

"A few weeks ago during a ski trip. I just got the cast off this morning." Rick sighed. So, another six long weeks confined to the apartment. However, it would be worth it, as long as she was fine. Speaking of…

"Can you check see how that woman is doing? Her name is Kate Beckett."

"I will do so, but as I stated before, I cannot disclose any information since you're not of any relation to her." Rick sighed, not wanting to let it go.

"Could you at least tell me if someone comes for her? She lives alone as far as I'm aware."

The doctor's piercing blue eyes examined Rick carefully. "It will take a while for a spot in x-ray to open up. Meanwhile, I suggest you sit back, relax, and keep an eye on anyone who comes through those doors." With that, the doctor winked and left to tend to another patient.

Great, Rick thought to himself. This was going to be a long day.

* * *

After almost an hour, much of which Rick spent thinking up and worrying about the worst case scenarios in regard to Kate, a nurse approached him with a wheelchair. He slid in and the nurse began to wheel him away. Halfway to the elevators, he saw two men come running through the ER doors and approach the desk. They wore professional clothing and one wore a badge on his hip. Realizing who they were, Rick tried to get the nurse to stop, but she kept pushing the chair, insisting that they needed to get x-ray soon. Groaning, Rick leaned back in his chair, hoping to wrap up the examination.

Luckily, the x-ray was quick, albeit a bit painful. Once he was done, the nurse deposited him back to his bed, leaving the wheelchair next to it. As he sat there, Rick turned his attention to the double doors, and sure enough, the two men were waiting, their expressions anxious. Making sure the coast was clear, Rick maneuvered himself into the chair and wheeled towards them. Hearing him approach, their heads snapped towards him, the expressions on their faces turning guarded.

"Are you two here for Kate Beckett?" he asked. At the question, one of them, a tall Hispanic, stood straighter, looking at Rick with suspicion.

"What's it to you?" the man asked.

"I'm Richard Castle," he replied, giving one of his charming smiles. "I'm the one who found her."

The partner, a shorter, younger man, raised an eyebrow. His eyes assessed Rick the same way his partner had been doing.

"We were told had someone had come in with her, we didn't know it was you," the younger detective said. "I'm Detective Ryan and this is my partner, Detective Esposito." He tilted his head toward the man next to him. "We're coworkers and friends of Kate Beckett."

"I thought so," Rick responded. "I wanted to see how was she doing, since she was in such bad shape." He tried his best not to sound like a creepy stalker who cared about her a little more than a supposed acquaintance should.

Detective Esposito hadn't relaxed, but Detective Ryan had a friendlier disposition.

"The doctors say she'll pull through, but that it'll be a long way to recovery," Ryan replied. The author nodded. "But, uh, thank you for helping her."

"No problem." Rick waved a dismissive hand. "I'm just glad I arrived there in time and could help out one of New York's finest." He internally cringed out how cheesy it sounded, like he didn't care all that much.

"Yeah, right," Detective Esposito said. "When you're done here, would mind coming with us to the station so we can get your statement?"

"Sure, sure," he replied, plastering on a smile. Great, now he was going to have to explain to Alexis that he would be gone longer. He was sure that was going to go over well. "I should get back before to my bed before someone notices. Here," he said, taking out a piece of paper and writing his number on it. "This is my number. If you want, you guys can keep my updated on her condition." It was a risky move, but hopefully they saw he was being genuine. "I want to help in anyway I can."

"Sure," Ryan chirped, taking the paper and tucking it away in his pocket. 'We'll let you know when she comes out of surgery."

Rick nodded in thanks, before wheeling around and going back to his bed. He could feel the eyes of the detectives on him, their suspicion rolling off them in waves.

This is going to be fun, he thought sarcastically.


	7. Chapter 7

AN: Here's the next one! Thanks for all the follows, favorites, and reviews for this story. I really appreciate them. Also, looking for a beta, so if anyone is willing, just PM me.

Disclaimer: I don't own Castle.

* * *

Javier Esposito looked through the glass, gazing at the man on the other side in the break room.

"You think he's making it up?" he asked his partner.

Ryan shook his head. "Nah. He's seemed genuine back in the hospital. Also, the EMTs found him with her when picking her up. Why would he stay if he did it?"

"To make it look like he didn't," he replied simply.

Esposito shook his head, carefully studying the man before him. According to Richard Castle, he had been leaving a friend's apartment when he heard a ruckus in an apartment down the hall. Running, he had found Beckett in her apartment and called 911 as he tried to put pressure on the wounds. Also, he had fallen, hard, while he was running, hence the busted knee. Unfortunately, he hadn't gotten a good look at the assailant as the perpetrator had run off, his back to Castle. He had a given some type of a description, but the guy had been wearing a hood, so it could wind up being a dead end for him and Ryan.

The story sounded plausible, but something didn't sit right. The guy seemed a little too concerned about Beckett's well-being. Okay, yes, he had been the one to find her and be with her in the ambulance, but it was a little too much. And yet, poor Ryan was falling for it.

"I mean, look." He pointed an accusatory finger toward the writer. "He keeps pausing as he writes his statement, like he has to think about it." As if on cue, Castle lifted his head up, furrowed his eyebrows in thought, and frowned. If this guy was an author, shouldn't writing a statement be a piece of cake?

Ryan let out a frustrated sigh. "Come on, man. He's probably doped up on pain meds. His brain's foggy, and he's had a long day. Give him a break already."

Esposito fell silent, pursing his lips. It wasn't going to do him any good to keep arguing.

A moment later, Castle waved at the boys, signaling that he was finished. They entered the break room, smiles plastered on their faces.

"All done," Castle announced, handing over the pad.

"Thank you for coming down here. Even though we didn't really give you a choice," Ryan said, shooting a reproachful look at Esposito. "Get some rest."

Castle nodded, beginning to slowly wheel out of the room. "You will update me, won't you?"

"'Course," Esposito replied, forcing sincerity. He was sure the guy would forget in a few days, particularly with the medication in his system.

"Thank you. I appreciate it." With that, he rolled himself to the elevators.

"We're not going to contact him, are we?" Ryan muttered in annoyance.

"Not unless he becomes a suspect. Besides, we need to focus on finding the guy that attacked Beckett."

His partner nodded.

It was up to him and Ryan to find the guy that attacked the woman they considered a sister. They didn't need anyone bothering them.

Especially a certain writer.

* * *

Rick sighed as Alexis helped him into the car.

"Everything okay, Dad?" she asked, concerned.

"I'm fine." He waved a dismissive hand, forcing a smile. She didn't need to hear his whining.

He rolled himself to his bedroom next to the bed. Pushing against his wheelchair, he hoisted himself onto the bed before grabbing some painkillers from his nightstand. The medication was starting to wear off and being in the precinct hadn't allowed him to double up on the pills. However, whatever he could do to help catch the attacker was worth it.

He lay down, staring at the ceiling. Kate had still been in surgery when he left with the two male detectives. He hoped she was okay. The chances of the two detectives calling him was slim, well at least for Detective Esposito. He seemed like the type that played it close to the vest. Probably had good intentions, but came across as too harsh, too macho. If Castle were a betting man, he was sure Ryan would be the one to call, being the softer of the two. He hoped the detective would, at least. That would be his only way of having permission to see Kate.

The binoculars in his office called to him like a siren, tempting. However, he didn't think he could stomach looking at her apartment. It would be covered in crime scene tape, and the cops investigating it. He didn't want to see that, or even worse, her blood on the floor. He squeezed his eyes shut, trying to expunge the image from his mind. Not even pain killers could erase that memory completely.

Sighing, he closed his eyes, forcing himself to get comfortable. After a few moments, he drifted off to sleep.

The sound of his phone ringing woke him a while later.

"'Ello?" he mumbled groggily

"Mr. Castle? Hi, it's Detective Ryan. I was just calling to let you know that Kate is out of surgery."

Wide awake now, Rick sat up, clearing his throat.

"How is she?"

"…Okay. She has a concussion, and some of the stab wounds are pretty deep. She also has a sprained wrist. Like we said before, long road to recovery, but she'll make it. Beckett's a fighter."

He breathed a sigh of relief. She sure as hell was a fighter, and it made him like her even more.

"They're sticking her in the ICU for a few days. Only friends and relatives are allowed." Rick scowled, reading between the lines. Don't come.

"Of course, she needs her rest," he replied.

"But, uh, look, I'll let you know when she's moved to a more open unit," the detective's tone dropped to a whisper and Rick figured he was hiding from his partner.

"Thank you, Detective," Rick said sincerely. "I really appreciate you keeping me up to speed on her condition."

"No problem," Ryan responded before hanging up.

Rick placed his phone on the nightstand, smiling. Tension left his body as the fact that Kate was going to be okay sank into his head. The desire to see her grew, but he could wait. He would go to her, offering a helping hand he hoped she would take. They would get to know each other and hopefully become something more.

With that thought, he went back to sleep, his mind at ease.

* * *

AN: It's a filler and short, but the chapters will get longer as the story goes on. Thanks for reading!


	8. Chapter 8

AN: So, here's the next chapter! Thank you for all the favorites, follows, and reviews for this story. It means a lot to know people stop to read this little fic.

Disclaimer: I don't own Castle.

* * *

Chapter 8

Kate Beckett awoke to the sound of beeping machines, and her head throbbing. She opened her eyes, forcing them shut the minute she looked into the bright lights above her.

"Too bright," she mumbled.

"Oh! You're awake!" she heard a familiar voice exclaim next to her. "Give me a sec." Kate made out the sound of footsteps walking away and returning. "Okay, you can open your eyes now."

She lifted her lids again, smiling at the much dimmer lighting.

"Thanks, Lanie," she said, or at least tried to. Realizing her dilemma, Lanie placed a bottle of water to Kate's lips and she took a few gulps. She nodded in thanks. Now more alert, she glanced around, furrowing her eyebrows in confusion. "Where am I?" Looking at her friend, she saw sadness wash over the M.E's face.

"In the hospital. You got pretty banged up in the fight you had with an intruder. You were in the ICU for two days and then got moved down here three days ago."

"Have I been out the whole time?" She recalled snippets of things. Someone finding her in the apartment. The breathing tube being taken out. However, she couldn't draw anything else form memory.

"You've been in and out, but this the first time you've been lucid since the EMTs picked you up a few days ago." Lanie looked at her curiously. "Do you remember anything?"

She attempted to shrug, but winced at the pain that ran through her shoulders. "Just things here and there, but nothing too important, I think."

Lance pursed her lips. "That's probably a combination of the nasty injury your head got and the pain meds. I'm sure you'll remember more in time."

Kate nodded, sighing. She forced her head to turn, despite the harsh pang that came with the movement. Examining the table next to her, a soft smile came to her lips as she noticed the various bouquets of flowers that covered the surface.

"Maybe I can open a flower shop," she joked. She could feel her friend rolling her eyes.

"Yeah, this place has been flooded with deliveries since word came out in the precinct about you being in the hospital. However, that one bouquet is actually from someone who is not a coworker." Kate moved her head enough to see Lanie pointing to a bouquet at the edge of the table. Furrowing her eyebrows, Kate glanced in the finger's direction. The bouquet she saw stood out from the others. It was brighter, with more variety to it, a mix of violets, gardenias, tulips, and lilacs placed in a simple, glass vase.

"Who brought them?"

A grin overcame Lanie's face. "The guy who found you, actually. Rick's his name. According to him, each of the flowers is a symbol of some form of healing."

"That was nice of him to do," Kate murmured. Realizing what the woman said, she shot her friend a quizzical look. "Wait, he found me? What did he say happened?"

Lanie recounted the statement he had given to Ryan and Esposito. Kate frowned, realizing that they were at a dead end.

"So, no one knows who attacked me," she muttered.

"Ryan and Javi are looking into it, of course. They have barely stopped with the only exception being to visit you. Also, it seems like Rick is trying to do some investigating of his own."

The brunette raised an eyebrow, confused. "Why?"

Lanie lifted her shoulders, unsure. "He thinks he can help. Javi doesn't like him, doesn't trust him, but Ryan thinks the guy's decent. Me? I think he's a nice man, from the few times I've seen him."

This Rick person had visited her in the hospital. Why? She could understand some concern since he found her, but it seemed like he was going out of his way.

"How many times has he been here?"

"Don't know really, maybe more than two? I haven't been around that much because the morgue's busy."

"Hmm, okay," Kate murmured. She wondered if he would visit now that she was awake. She could question him then. However, her brain was becoming foggy, her eyelids slowly closing. "Mmm, don't wanna sleep."

"It's just the meds," Lanie reassured her. "You'll be awake again soon." The detective scowled, earning a chuckle from her friend.

Then, she drifted off to sleep.

* * *

The next day, Rick wheeled around the loft in excitement. He was going to visit Kate, and this time she was awake. She had actually asked for him, hearing about him from one of her coworkers. Joy emanated from him at the thought, but he knew he needed to play it cool. She didn't know he existed, let alone his feelings for her. So, he would go in there calmly, while letting this elation loose now.

"Come on, Dad," Alexis called. He grinned, grabbing the fresh bouquet of flowers he'd bought earlier that day. It was more of mix, with each flower symbolizing either hope, happiness or wellness. He prayed she would like them.

They arrived at the hospital a while later. He waved at the nurse seated at the desk, who offered him a knowing smile. He had become well acquainted with some of the staff during his visits the past few days.

He entered the room, Alexis choosing to stay behind. As he crossed the doorway, he heard shuffling in the bed, making him sigh in relief. Seeing her unconscious the last few times he visited her shook him to the core. He never wanted to experience it again and would make sure he didn't.

"Hello," he greeted calmly, despite his heart pounding as wheeled in further into her space. Her eyes were gazed down, her faced scrunched adorably, the expression she wore when she was deep in thought, hands grasping the sheets.

At his voice, she looked up, her hands relating her death grip on the cloth. As she stared at him, she blinked, before her eyes widened and her mouth formed into an 'o'.

"You're," she started, surprised. "You're Richard Castle."

"I'd prefer you call me Rick, but yes." He chuckled. Knowing she was a fan, he shouldn't be surprised that she recognized him. The idea thrilled him nonetheless.

She raised an eyebrow. "So, you're the Rick who found me, huh?"

He nodded. "Guilty as charged. I'm glad to see you awake, gave all your coworkers quite the scare, it seems." He smiled gently, approaching her bed. "Scared me too, to be honest." He looked at her, trying to hide his feelings. Her blush told him he wasn't succeeding.

"Thank you for finding me," she said, sincerity in her gaze. "I don't remember much at the moment, but I know I was afraid of dying right there on my kitchen floor."

"Well, I'm happy you're okay now," he replied. "Though, I can't say the same about your towel."

She laughed, cringing as pain shot through her. Immediately going into protective mode, he asked,

"Do you need anything? Pain meds?"

Sighing, she shook her head, her hazel eyes flickering in exasperation. "No, it'll go away on its own. I've had enough medication for a lifetime." She leaned back into the bed, pouting. he found it cute.

"You don't need to put up with the pain," he said.

"It's fine," she insisted. "So, I hear you've been trying to help my boys with their investigation." Ah, deflection, not too surprising. She wasn't one to show weakness, so he would let the pain thing slide, for now.

"Yes, well, key word is 'trying'. We haven't found anything of importance, yet." He wasn't lying, per se. There weren't able to get any real information to catch the guy. At least, according Ryan they didn't. Whether or not he was telling Rick the truth was another thing.

"They're not letting you into the investigation, are they?" She shot him a knowing smirk.

"No," he mumbled, looking down at his hands.

"Just as well." His head popped up, looking at her in disappointment. Her expression morphed into a sympathetic one and she bit her lip. "Look, I appreciate you trying to help, and I'm sure you have expertise in the field." Her eyes turned playful for a split second before becoming serious again. "But, I can't have a civilian investigate a dangerous case like this. There's too much risk involved."

"I understand," he replied, grimacing. Looked like he would have to more discreet in searching.

"Good." She nodded, satisfied with his answer.

Not wanting the topic to loom any longer, he changed tactics.

"I almost forgot, I brought you flowers." Wheeling over to the table, he removed his previous bouquet before replacing it with the fresh one. Then, he dumped the old flowers in the garbage. "There, new flowers."

She shook her head, smiling. "You certainly know how to make a girl feel better." Glancing at his wheelchair, she hesitated, clearly dying to ask him what happened.

"Skiing accident," he said. Again, not a complete lie. She didn't need to know to that he broke it again while saving her. "I should have the cast off in a few weeks."

"Must've been painful trying to help me," she replied, seeming puzzled. Crap, she was catching on.

"Yeah, but it was worth it," he said, his tone sincere. "Also, life trumps a busted knee, at least in my book." He shot her a charming smile and she chuckled softly. He could see the pain each movement caused her, but didn't comment. She would probably kick him out otherwise.

"Thank you for helping me, again. I don't know if I would be alive if you hadn't come."

He shrugged. "No problem."

She bit her lip, frowning. "I'm sorry, but I'm feeling kind of tired. All this," she waved her hand in the air, gesturing vaguely, "has me exhausted. So, if you don't mind, I would like to rest."

"Of course," he conceded. He thought for a moment, careful of the next words out of his mouth. "Do you, uh, mind if I come visit you? It would give me peace of mind to know you're okay." He hoped his eyes conveyed the pleading he wanted her to see.

She was silent for a moment, deciding. Finally, she spoke, her voice soft, "Sure, why not? I wouldn't mind the company, too much." A teasing grin took over her face, giving her a beautiful glow.

"So, same time tomorrow?"

"Yeah," she murmured. "Same time tomorrow."

It looked like he might get his dream fulfilled after all.

* * *

AN: So, there is the first meeting. Oh and I got accepted for an internship, which is awesome, but the hours are long, so I'm not sure how much I'll be writing during the summer. However, I'm hoping to get quite a few chapters in. So, until next time!


	9. Chapter 9

AN: So, here's the next chapter. Thank you for all the follows, favorites, and reviews for this story. I really appreciate them.

Disclaimer: I don't own Castle.

* * *

Chapter 9

Kate grumbled as she received another round of poking and prodding from the nurse.

"When can I go home?" she asked, knowing she sounded like a whiny child, but she didn't care. Lying in a bed for a week was not an ideal way to spend her life.

"The doctor wants to keep you here for one more night, and then you can go home," the nurse, Sandy, replied in an attempt to appease the detective.

Kate pouted, sighing in relief when the nurse pulled the vital machine away.

"Your vitals are good and your wounds are healing nicely. If you do get to go home tomorrow, you'll need someone to take you home. For after care, you'll probably require help when changing bandages."

Kate shook her head. "I can do that on my own." Well, she would try. Having her arm in a sling might make it difficult…

"You are a tough one, aren't you?" Sandy winked. "But I'm sure that friend of yours would be more than glad to help?" Friend? Did she mean Lanie? "That fella who's been hanging around here and visiting you. I don't think he'd mind lending a hand."

"Castle?" She received a hum in affirmation. "No, he's…just a concerned citizen. Once I'm out of the hospital he'll get back to his life." She wasn't even sure if she would consider herself and Castle friends. Okay, yes, he came to visit her every day and he brought her food, but he was probably just worried and would move on once he knew she was fine.

"Whatever you say, dear," Sandy replied, tossing her a smirk. As she approached the doorway, her face lit up with a grin. "Speak of the devil!"

A moment later, Rick rolled in, paper bag in hand.

"Hello, Sandy," he greeted before setting the bag on the tray table in front of Kate. "Hello, my dear Beckett."

"Hey, Castle." She offered him a small smile. He was always in a cheery mood, which she did kind of need right now. "How are you?"

"I'm good, even better now that I've seen you." She rolled her eyes, but he ignored her. "I've brought your daily offering, this time it's a sandwich." Hearing this, she dove her hands eagerly into the bag. His sandwiches were delicious. Then again, all of the meals he brought were good.

"Well, I'll leave you two alone," Sandy said, before slipping out of the room.

"I think she likes you," Kate teased, chuckling. She cringed as a sharp pain shot through her ribs. When would everything stop hurting?

"Unfortunately, I'm not interested." He glanced at her, before producing a bottle of water from the side of his chair. Her cheeks grew warm as she took the bottle, attempting to ignore his implication. He would stop caring once she went home. "So, when are you breaking out of here?"

"Tomorrow, apparently," she replied, taking a bite of her sandwich. Mmm, cheese and tomato. "If I get the okay, I'll need someone to take me home. Hopefully, Lanie is free." She would call her friend later, once the doctor gave her permission.

"I can take you home," he suggested, munching on his own sandwich.

"You don't need to do that, I mean I don't want to inconvenience you."

He waved his hand dismissively. "I can bring the town car. You do live across the street form me, after all." Right, that one tidbit she had discovered during their time together. Her favorite author owned a residence in the building right across from her. "Come on, it'll be easier than having to drag Lanie all the way over here." He pouted, turning on the puppy-dog eyes that she was becoming familiar with nowadays. Why did his blue eyes have to be so irresistible?

"Okay, okay," she replied. "I guess it will make things easier."

He nodded. "Good. Just call me when you're ready to be picked up."

She smiled, finishing her sandwich.

They sat in companionable silence for a while, something she was used to by now. A lull in the conversation could last for a while and neither minded. It was…interesting.

As they spent the rest of the time talking about nonsensical things, they shared some of the dessert Castle brought, which was a mix of cookies and candy. It was nice and released some of the stress she felt with the case looming over her head. She felt a tug in her chest, realizing that this was going to end soon.

There was still a part of her that held onto the hope that things wouldn't change.

* * *

The next morning, the doctor arrived bright and early to permit Kate's release from the hospital. The nurse, knowing how eager the brunette was, gave her the discharge forms to fill out a few minutes later. Kate then dressed, or was trying to. Her sling got in the way and it didn't help she could barely move without feeling some sort of pain, slight or severe. The nurse aided her in putting on the rest of her clothes and soon Kate was set to leave.

She called Castle, who happily answered and said the car would be there soon. She waited, texting Esposito, fishing for answers about the case.

 _You need rest. Ryan and I got this,_ he responded.

Closing her eyes, she groaned, a frustrated huff escaping her lips. Esposito and Ryan gave her some insight into the leads they got on her attacker, but overall they were mum. According to them it was 'to reduce stress' on her part and speed up recovery so she could get back into the precinct. However, they were just being overprotective brothers. She planned to chew them out for it, later.

In the middle of replying to Esposito, her phone pinged, indicating an incoming text from Castle, saying the car was outside. She smiled, motioning to the nurse to wheel her out.

The vehicle waiting for them outside was fairly non-descript, a stereotypical town car. The driver opened the door to the back seat, and Kate was surprised to see Rick sitting in further on the other side of the seat. After some help from the driver and nurse, Kate sat comfortably in the leather seats, a smiling Castle gazing at her.

"You came," she said. "I thought you were just going to send the car over."

Castle scoffed. "And miss your first day of freedom? Please!"

She laughed, stopping abruptly at the pain, again.

"I really hope that I heal quickly. Every part of my body aching is growing tiresome," she muttered.

"I take it you're not one to stay off the field?"

She shook her head vehemently, ignoring the dull throbbing that went with it. "Nope. I need to be out there, helping others get justice. Plus, I'd go insane if I was holed up for a long time." Unfortunately, Captain Montgomery gave her strict orders to stay at home until she was done recovering. She would follow his directive, for now.

"Well, that might take a while," he hedged. "I can keep you company, of course." He winked and she rolled her eyes. She wasn't sure if she could take someone hovering while she was healing. Maybe Castle didn't hover. Or maybe he did? He seemed like the type that would circle anxiously. She had witnessed some of it when she cringed in pain and he encouraged her to dial up the pain medication a bit more.

"Thank you, but that's um, not necessary." However, instinct told her he wasn't going to listen.

"Well, I'll be around if you want or need me. Alexis will be in and out too, so if you need something you can tell me to ask her. She said she wouldn't mind helping."

Ah, yes, Alexis. Kate met her on Castle's second visit. She seemed like a nice, intelligent girl. A little less like her father in terms of maturity perhaps, but Kate could still see the resemblance, in looks and personality. Regardless, Kate didn't need any help.

"I'm fine, I can take care of myself," she snapped, regretting it the moment his expression fell. "I'm sorry." She sighed. "But honestly, I do better on my own." It was always that way and it would always be that way.

Castle nodded, pursing his lips. "Okay, but if you need anything, just call."

She hummed in acknowledgment, her head turning to look out the window. Most of the snow had melted, so she shouldn't have an issue getting around. Not that she would be walking much anyway.

"We're here," the driver announced. Kate blinked, surprised at how quick the trip had been. Talking to Castle sure killed time.

She expected the driver to open the door and show her and Castle out. However, he went to the trunk instead, and a faint clinking sound reached her ears. A few moments later, he opened the door, gesturing toward the chair.

"Oh, I'll move so you can get in the chair," she replied, struggling to step out of the car.

"Actually, the chair is for you. I brought crutches for myself."

Oh, well, that was thoughtful of him. While she didn't think she was an invalid, she sure felt like one. Tossing him a grateful smile, she inched her way into the wheelchair, the driver giving her his arm to steady herself. Rick followed suit, grabbing the crutches, stabilizing himself on the sidewalk.

"Thank you, Thomas," Castle said, slipping what Kate assumed was a very nice tip into the driver's coat pocket. "Would you mind helping Detective Beckett up to her apartment?"

"Of course, Mr. Castle." Thomas pushed the wheelchair into the building, with Castle on his heels.

"I should learn to manage on my own," Kate muttered. She'd done it before. However, her injuries had not been this severe.

"Relax, Beckett. Just a few more minutes and then you'll be in solitude." He winked, repositioning his crutches as they waited for the elevator.

The ride up to her floor was uneventful, save for Castle whistling. She scowled, raising an eyebrow. He quieted immediately. How could he be so annoying and cute at the same time?

They entered the floor and Thomas rolled her to the door.

"Thank you, Thomas. I can take it from here," she said. He smiled, tipped his hat toward her, and left.

"Um, how are you going to get yourself in?"

Kate rolled her eyes. "I still have one functional arm and I have muscle." It took a few seconds, but she was able to move the chair into the apartment and into the living room. Once there, she stopped. Breathing a sigh of relief, she looked around, thrilled to be home. As she moved around, she noticed something was…off.

"It looks like someone cleaned this place," she remarked. She wasn't a messy person by any means, but it had been a while since she took a vacuum to her apartment. Since CSU had been crawling all over it, she was sure no one had dared enter.

"I hired some cleaners to shine up the place. Don't worry, I got the all clear from your coworkers before arranging it. Figured you'd like to come home to a clean, um, blood free apartment." She wheeled around to see him biting his lip, apparently regretting the last part. Tossing him a reassuring smile, she murmured,

"Thank you."

"Also, your fridge is stocked." He hobbled to the refrigerator, opening it to reveal the storage space filled from top to bottom with food. "There are two or three pre made meals in here, but the rest is regular food. I did get you some junky TV dinners in case you're ever in the mood for those."

Her jaw dropped, shocked at how generous he was being. It was a little weird, honestly.

"Wait, how did you get into my apartment?" she asked in a concerned tone. His expression turned sheepish.

"I may have wheedled the location of the key out of poor, unsuspecting Mrs. Norman next door."

Ah, of course! Mrs. Norman was a lovely old lady, a bit chatty, but nice. Kate assumed she succumbed to Castle's infamous charm.

"You know how to get what you want, don't you?" she asked, amused.

"Yep," he replied, popping the 'p'.

"I don't know if I should worry about that or not," she mused.

He snickered. "I guess you'll find out in due time."

So, he did have plans of coming back.

"Guess I will," she hummed. "Thank you though, for everything."

"You're welcome, it was my pleasure." He bowed playfully, albeit clumsily with his crutch. "I guess I'll leave you to it. Remember if you need anything-"

"Yes, I know, I can call you."

He began walking toward the door, clearly stalling. "I"m right across the street."

"Yes, yes." She rolled her eyes, waving her free hand in a shooing motion. "Now, go put your leg up so _you_ can heal."

His lips turned upward, lifting his crutch in salute before leaving. "See you later, Detective."

Once he was out the door, she sighed, rolling herself over to the kitchen. Her eyes assessed the space, seeing no trace of her attack anywhere. The towel was gone and the floor and counter were both clean. No indents or marks existed. It was like it never happened, except it did.

Parts of the incident were still fuzzy, but were slowly clearer within the past fews days. She hoped she would remember everything, soon. The overwhelming desire to catch the son of the bitch and figure out his motives burned in her. However, she needed to be in better shape to do so, as well as extract whatever information Ryan and Esposito discovered. Unfortunately, that was going to be like pulling teeth at this point. For now, she would pop a pain pill, eat one of Castle's meals, and take a nap.

Then, her investigation into her mother's murder would resume.

* * *

AN: The show may be over, which I'm sad about, but I plan on being here for a while. Until next time!


	10. Chapter 10

AN: Here's the next chapter! Again, thank you for all followers, favorites, and reviews for this story. I really appreciate them!

Disclaimer: I don't own Castle.

* * *

Chapter 10

Rick peered into the lens of his binoculars, looking through the window that had grown to become familiar to him. He had promised himself he would stop once she was out of the hospital, but looking in was so damn addicting. It was a habit he couldn't seem to kick, even if it was three in the morning.

"Richard, why are you up?" his mother asked from the staircase.

"Couldn't sleep," he stated.

"Really? Because I believe it's something else." He glanced over at her, pouting at her raised eyebrow. "Come on, Dear. She's safe, she's in bed. You get to see her every day now, in person. I think it's time to stop this spy game once and for all."

"I'm having a serious feeling of deja vu with this conversation." Seeing her disapproving look, he sighed, saying, "I want to make sure she can move around and all that." Really, he would stop. She just needed to be able to walk without cringing for him to do so.

"You'll just make it harder for yourself when you have to explain the book. What if you slip up? She could have you arrested."

"I won't slip up," he promised. As for having him arrested well, he hoped she would see the _benefits_ of him watching her. "Anyway, I'm going to try to sleep. I'm supposed to talk with Gina tomorrow."

"Good luck with that, Darling," she said, a knowing smirk on her face. Yes, dealing with Gina would be fun. "Good night."

"'Night, Mother," he replied, wheeling himself into his room.

As he was preparing for bed, he thought about what his mother said. Yes, he would have to face some type of consequence for watching Beckett. He really hoped she didn't find out, but knowing his luck, she probably would, she wasn't dumb. Whether it would be by him or someone else, he wasn't sure. He hoped it was him, otherwise he knew any chance of a relationship was doomed if she heard it from another person.

However, tomorrow might force him to bite the bullet. He and Gina planned to hash out the details for the final draft of his latest book and the aim was for it to hit the shelves in a few months. He already knew what he wanted to write for the dedication, and well… if he was right about her loving his books, he would have a lot of explaining to do in regard to what he wrote. He would figure it out tomorrow, once he was done talking to his ex wife/publisher. The thought made him shudder, not wanting anymore nightmares.

The ones with Kate dying in his arms were enough.

* * *

That same night, Kate gripped her bed sheets, tossing and turning as much as her body allowed. She couldn't sleep, despite taking some pain medication right before bed. No matter what position she tried, she ached, whether it be her head or torso or whatever other body part decided to wreak havoc on her. It didn't help that nightmares plagued her subconscious when she slept.

Giving up, she slowly climbed out of bed, hesitating with each movement. Once she made it out of bed, she maneuvered herself to the kitchen, holding onto the wall for support. She didn't want to use the wheelchair, knowing she would get rid of it the first chance she received.

Reaching the sink, she filled a glass of water for herself, choosing to stay at the counter for support. She sipped the liquid slowly while gazing out the window. As she stared, her eyes fell upon the windows of the building across from her, making her wonder about a certain author. What was he doing right now? Probably sleeping, or maybe even writing. He had told her that on the nights where insomnia got the best of him, he wrote for hours on end. She would love to see him at work. Her mind could picture it: his expression thoughtful, eyebrows scrunched in concentration, fingers flying across the keys as ideas formed into words. Licking her lips, she hummed. Yes, that image was very appealing.

Quietly, she groaned, shaking her head to get the picture out of her mind. There was no reason to be thinking about him like that. Sure, he was nice and clearly concerned about her, but she couldn't give him anything in return, due to the emotional baggage she carried. Also, her lack of physical capabilities at the moment rendered her useless for any type of vigorous activity. Her mouth twisted into a scowl. Maybe she should lay off the medication, it was affecting her focus, apparently.

Her head turned toward the shutters against the wall, eyes closing at the thought of what was behind them. The familiar feeling of failure coursed through her veins, reminding her that she had reached another dead end in her mother's murder. She had a feeling that the man who attacked her was another thug working for whoever was really behind everything. Her most recent lead, Hal Lockwood, was behind bars. However, she wouldn't be surprised if he had something to do with her current state. She intended to pay him a visit once she was better.

As she stared at the evidence board, thoughts briefly flickered through her mind of what her mother would think of her now, standing in her apartment, stabbed and beaten just like the elder Beckett had been. She would probably be disappointed. In getting hurt or not catching the killer, Kate didn't know. All she knew is, there was nothing for her to be proud of, right now. That would all change once Kate found justice for her mother.

Her lips lifted upwards in sadness. It seemed the meds were making her contemplative as well. This was so not good for her concentration, even if it was three in the morning.

Looking back at her bedroom door, she found herself dreading the trek back. So, dumping the remaining contents of her glass in the sink, she slowly moved herself to the couch. After a few maneuvers, she found a position she felt comfortable in.

It only took seconds for her to doze off, visions of the writer occupying her dreams.

* * *

She awoke the next morning to a knock on her door. Alert, she grabbed her piece from the coffee table and cautiously went to the door, looking through the peephole. She was not going to make the same mistake that landed her in her current state. The familiar face on the other side surprised her.

"Castle?" she asked, gingerly opening the door before holding it wide open.

"Morning, Beckett," he greeted, wheeling past her into the living room. She pursed her lips. Of course he would invite himself into her apartment. "Sleep well?"

"Ah, yeah," she answered. Sniffing the air, she caught a whiff of pancakes and maple syrup? The scent came from the bag he was holding.

"You slept on the couch," he stated. How did he- "Your sofa has a Beckett-sized dent in it." Right. Damn, he always seemed to know what she was thinking. "Anyway, I brought breakfast, well brunch. It's almost noon."

"Almost noon?!" She really slept for that long? Hmm, no wonder she felt refreshed, almost.

"Yep. So, today we have french toast with maple syrup and a choice of bacon or sausage. Oh, and there are bagels and bear claws too. Didn't want you starting your day without your favorite pastry."

She smiled. He was so sweet! "But what about all the food you already gave me?"

He waved his hand dismissively. "Eh, figured you'd want a nice, hot, homemade breakfast after all the hospital food."

"Thank you, but you didn't have to do that." Though, she had a feeling that he would go out of the way to do anything for her.

"It's no problem," he replied as he set things up on the counter. "So, go sit, I'll bring you the food."

She sat down at the table, trying not to admire how domestic he looked in her kitchen. He moved, well wheeled, around with ease, acting as if he belonged there. Maybe he did…

"So, how are you feeling?"

She was about to answer 'fine' on instinct, but his expression told her he would not be okay with that answer.

"Like I've been stabbed," she chuckled humorlessly. "I am taking my pain meds, in case you're wondering."

"Good." His head nodded in approval. "Do you need help changing your bandages? Mother or Alexis said they would help you, if needed."

"No, I'm good," she stated. She hadn't tried to redress her bandages, that should be an adventure. "But I will let you know if I do need help."

He gave her an appreciative smile, the answer appeasing him.

"So, food?" She shot him a teasing grin.

"Here you go, m'lady." He placed the steaming plate of breakfast food in front of her, the sight making her stomach rumble.

"Looks delicious." She began to dig in before taking her phone out of her pocket to check for messages. When she saw no new messages, she frowned.

"Waiting to hear from your coworkers?" he guessed.

"Yeah," she mumbled, her cheeks turning pink with embarrassment. Damn it.

"I don't think they're going to contact you about your case."

She snorted. "Are you in cahoots with them or something?"

"No," he replied gently. "However, I'm sure they're thinking the same thing. You need rest and time to recover. You can go back to your kickass self once you're better."

She glared at him, her lips forming into a scowl. "My attacker and potential murderer is still out there! I can't just sit around and do nothing while he walks the streets!"

"And you can do something, once you can actually move without wincing."

She slumped in her seat, running her free hand through her hair. After a taking a calming breath, she asked, "Why do you care so much? I'm just some random girl you found." She was a nobody, compared to him.

"Because," he hesitated. "I just do."

She let out an exasperated huff. "How do you even know I'm 'kickass'? You've never seen me in action."

"Well, I'm sure you have to be in order to get where you are in your career," he answered as a matter of fact. "Smart, Kickass, not to mention sexy."

"I sure don't feel sexy right now," she mumbled.

"You underestimate yourself," he replied smoothly. "Now, come on and finish your breakfast. I brought some movies we can watch."

"Looking for entertainment?"

"Well, more of a distraction," he confessed. She raised an eyebrow. "I had a discussion with my publisher this morning and I wish to erase the non-important, less pleasant parts of the conversation. So, pretty much most of it."

"Good thing I'm here then," she teased. It was still weird, the fact that he would come to her…

"Alrighty, I'll lay some of the movies out and you can choose. So, chop, chop." He winked, rolling over to the couch.

As he set up, she watched him, smiling as the enthusiasm radiated off of him. She was a bit envious of the fact that he could be so carefree. She wished she could be like that, but she couldn't, not when she had a job to do.

A few moments later, he wheeled back around, grinning. She examined his expression, noticing he was giving her one of his genuine smiles. At this point, she was able to tell the difference between the smile he produced for his book jackets and the real one she sometimes felt was just for her. He smiled as she moved over to him, but she noticed something was a little off. The smile didn't reach his eyes and he seemed …scared? What was there to be frightened about? Maybe she was reading him wrong.

Pushing the thought aside, she walked over, interested in whatever movies he thought were recovery appropriate. Once she made a selection, he rolled over to the couch, helping her get settled as much as he was able to. Soon, the credits began to roll and Kate found herself relaxing. It didn't hurt that a good man was keeping her company. She smiled to herself.

Maybe taking the day off wasn't such a bad idea after all.


	11. Chapter 11

AN: So, here's the next chapter! Thanks for all the follows, favorites, and reviews for this story. I really appreciate them! Also, thanks to Docnerd for answering my medical questions.

Disclaimer: I don't own Castle.

* * *

Chapter 11

Several days had passed since their brunch and movie afternoon, and Rick found it becoming harder and harder to confess the truth to Kate. He loved spending time with her, but he knew revealing his secret would ruin that. It was wrong, he figured that much, but from what he saw in her personality, she was not going to be thrilled with the idea of her privacy being invaded. However, the clock was ticking with Gina pushing for final edits to be due in two to three weeks. So, his confession was going to be sooner rather than later at this point.

He worked up the courage everyday to tell her, but always fell short at the last moment. It was a conversation that was better to be done face to face, but a nagging part of him was tempted to divulge everything during a phone call. At least then he would avoid the disappointment and betrayal that would flare in her eyes when he told her. However, he wasn't that much of a coward, and acknowledged that Kate deserved better.

So, he bided his time and helped her heal, on the days she allowed him to visit. Some days she would be fine and they would converse in her apartment for a few hours until she grew tired or needed to eat. Other days, she wanted to be left alone, but he still called her in the evening to check up on her. During this time, he attempted to wean himself off of the binoculars, and so far, his trial run was successful, almost. It wasn't like the occasional slip up hurt, as long as he only watched for a short amount of time. Right? Regardless, she seemed to be doing better, even sort of able to walk without the need for support, most of the time. However, he knew some of it was Kate overexerting herself, but he wasn't going to call her out on it, not if his life depended on it.

With that thought, Rick brought himself back to the present, smiling as he knocked on the familiar door. It swung open a few moments later, revealing a winded Kate, hand on her hip, eyebrow raised, but a small smile on her face.

"Hey, Castle," she greeted, stepping aside to let him through to the living room.

"Afternoon, Beckett," he replied, eyeing her heaving chest. "What have you been up to?" He really hoped she wasn't doing anything to accidentally rip her stitches.

"Just doing some cleaning. Still hurts to bend over, or do anything, really," she admitted, scowling.

"I know you keep saying you want to do stuff on your own, but if you need help just ask. I'm right across the street."

"Yeah, yeah. Nothing that will pull my stitches," she mumbled.

He beamed. "Exactly." He wheeled around, examining the area. It looked like she had been awake for a while. "So, what do you want to do?"

"Um," she hesitated, uncertainty in her eyes.

"What is it? Something the matter?" he quizzed anxiously.

"I want to do our exercise out in the hallway today." She averted her gaze, preparing for the worst. A nervous hand tucked a strand of hair behind her ear as she waited for his answer.

Ah, he understood now. As part of her healing process, she persuaded him to be a goal point to practice her walking without using a wall or counter to keep her upright. She got better at it each time, but sometimes she overdid it. That was his opinion, of course.

She was fine with short distances, such as walking to certain areas in the apartment, but longer distances tired her out and she often lost her balance. Part of it was due to the pain medication, the other from her injuries from all across her torso. Trying to do the routine in an area with little support was a huge leap for her, but he wasn't surprised. He admired her stubbornness, but it also scared him.

"You sure?" he asked.

The question seemed to force her resolve to the forefront and she nodded. Sighing, he let her out the door first, following right behind.

"Where do you want me to go?"

Her slender finger pointed in the direction of the end of the hallway, causing him to eye her wearily.

"Maybe a little closer?" he suggested. "At least for the first time?" A vigorous head shake gave him the answer.

"I need to strengthen myself in every way possible to get back into the field, " she replied. Oh, her determination was going to be death of him.

"Okay, but if you have any trouble…"

"I'll let you know." She made a shooing motion with her hand and he conceded, wheeling himself all the way to the end of the corridor.

She took a breath, steadying herself as she made a step forward, and then another. Rick watched as she attempted to stride down the hallway, looking more like an ungraceful tree than anything else, arm flailing and legs swaying. The sound of her footfalls were slow, hesitance in each step, her body clearly struggling to move. Rick started to wheel himself forward, but her free hand went up in a motion to stop him. He sighed, but waited.

She began walking again, making it to the halfway point, but the struggle started to overwhelm her. Her body staggered as she made her way across the floor and her breathes were becoming shallower with each passing minute. As the exercise continued, Rick decided he had enough watching her suffer, consequences be damned.

He rolled up to her, observing as she sniffed, lifting her sleeve to wipe tears away from her eyes.

"Dammit," she swore, lower her hand to grip his chair for support.

"Hey," he soothed, placing a hand over hers. "You'll get it, in time. You can't rush greatness, Beckett." He teased, hoping to alleviate the tension.

"I need to get back to the precinct, back to my job," she gritted out, exhaustion overcoming her.

His felt his heart break for her, for her pain and desperation. However, she needed to slow down, otherwise she was going to burn out before she went back to work.

With a gentle, but firm hand, he carefully wrangled her into the chair, settling her in his lap. Wheeling back inside her apartment, he shut the door, and stopped once he reached the living room. They sat there in silence, anger and desperation radiating off of her in waves as frustrated huffs escaped her lips.

"You'll be back in the precinct and being your badass self soon enough. However, it's going to take time," he murmured, running his fingers through the ends of her hair. "You need to have a little patience."

"But," she started. Pursing his lips, he took her face in his hands, turning her slowly, forcing her to look at him.

"You're a strong, incredible, and extraordinary woman, but your tenacity can get the better of you." He sighed, gently stroking her cheek with his fingertips. "You need to rest and relax. The more you do that, the faster you will heal. Overexerting yourself isn't the answer, despite the fact that you think you need to prove yourself. You don't. You've already proven yourself through your strength of this ordeal alone." He gave weary smile and she let out a watery chuckle in return.

"You talk of as if you've known me for a while," she replied, raising an eyebrow. If she only knew.

He shrugged. "Spending almost every day with another person can do that to you. Not that I'm complaining." He looked at her closely, wary of his next words. "I care about you, Kate, and I don't like to see you hurting so much."

"Castle," she started.

He shook his head. "No, I need to tell you something. It's really important that you listen to me first, before saying anything okay?" He knew he needed to tell her now, while she was intent to hear him out. "Do you want to sit on the couch, get comfortable?"

She snorted, refusing to move from his lap.

"Just tell me what's going on, Castle. I'm sure it can't be that bad."

Oh, she had no idea.

"Well, you see, I," he started, a knock at the door interrupting him. He growled as Kate removed herself from his lap to answer whoever was on the other side, not the least bit surprised when she grabbed her gun.

She opened the door to reveal Detectives Ryan and Esposito on the other side. Both detectives peered in, concerned expressions on their faces. However, when they spotted him, their eyes turned accusatory, their stares burning holes into him. At the sight, Rick gulped, closing his eyes.

"Beckett, there's something we discovered that you need to know," Ryan said.

"But, I'm sure Mr. Castle over there will be more than happy to tell you, since he clearly knows why we're here," Esposito sneered. "Unless he wants to come with us in handcuffs. It's up to you, Castle. Want to tell Detective Beckett here what you've been up to lately?"

Kate turned around, confusion etched on her face. "Castle, what did you do?" she whispered, concerned. He sighed, running a hand through his hair.

The universe just had to make things hard for him, didn't it?


	12. Chapter 12

AN: So, here it is! Thanks for all the follows, favorites, and reviews for this story. I really appreciate them!

Disclaimer: I don't own Castle.

* * *

Chapter 12

Kate's thoughts were a whirlwind of emotion as she stared at the tablet screen in front of her. The evidence was there, of what had happened, but she still couldn't believe it. She needed to hear the whole story from Castle. Perhaps maybe there was a misunderstanding, something the boys were missing from basing their theory on security camera footage from her building.

Speaking of Castle, he had been eerily quiet during Ryan and Esposito's presentation. When they first barged in, Castle had proposed that they explain whatever it was they suspected of him doing and he would confirm whether or not it was true. However, according to the disappointed expression on his face, she surmised that he didn't expect them to have such damning evidence on him.

"So, care to explain what you're doing running across the street to this building around the time Detective Beckett here was attacked?" Esposito asked. "Because, according to your statement, you were in the building before the attack happened."

"I," he started, hesitant.

"You also told me you broke your knee in a skiing accident," she remarked, giving him a pointed glance.

"That wasn't a lie," he replied. "I did break my knee during a skiing accident and the cast was removed the day you were attacked. I hurt it again when running, as you can see."

Kate frowned, unsure of whether or not to believe him.

"That doesn't explain the coincidence in timing," Ryan said. "Unless you have psychic powers or something, which is impossible." Esposito snorted.

Rick sighed, staring out the window for moment, as Kate waited pensively for his answer. He turned to her, regret in his eyes, shooting her a sad smile.

"Before I start, I'm going to say that I did not orchestrate any of your attack. I would never ever think of harming anyone, especially you." Esposito looked ready to object, but Kate held up her hand to stop him. She wanted, no needed, to hear this.

"After my skiing accident over a month ago, I was bored. I was pretty much confined to my loft until my knee was healed. So, I tried to figure out ways to pass the time, doing whatever it was that pleased me."

She held back a chuckle, imagining Castle busying himself with all sorts of odd activities. Yes, it was definitely something he would do.

"Anyway, at some point, I decided to do a little…observational research," he said, his lips turning upward. "Having high grade binoculars can certainly do wonders for the image quality."

"So, you were spying?" Ryan interrupted.

"Well, yes." Castle rolled his eyes. "Anyway, I looked through the windows in this building and I was about to give up on my activity, when I came across an apartment with a brunette in it. I don't know what it was, but she intrigued me." He looked intently at her, forcing her to turn away to prevent her cheeks from turning red. "So, I started watching her, curious of her daily activities. Somewhere along the way I began making up a story for her, what her life was like, what kind of friends she had and all that. Soon, I became inspired to write and until long, I had a whole book planned out."

"That's creepy, dude," Esposito remarked and Ryan nodded in agreement. Kate shot them a glare, silencing the detectives.

"However, the week before I got my cast off, something happened. The woman started becoming paranoid, closing her blinds when she was home. Although I was disappointed, I was hoping to meet her once I got my cast off and we could talk, and maybe I could figure out what was wrong."

She clenched her teeth, realizing what he was talking about. Shit.

"On the day my cast was removed, I came home and decided to take a peek one last time." He let out a disparaging chuckle, startling everyone in the once quiet room. "In the middle of my spying, I saw her being attacked and told my daughter to call 911. Then, I raced crossed the street, banging up my knee in the process. That's what you see on the security footage. I found her in the apartment, just lying there…" his murmured, seeming lost in thought, swallowing thickly. Then, he peered up at them, shrugging. "There you have it. That's my real story. No lies, no deception."

"So, you're a peeping tom, is what you're telling us," Esposito remarked.

"Legally, yes." Castle pursed his lips, shaking his head in dismay. "I couldn't help it, though. I knew it was wrong to be spying, but I just couldn't help it."

The three detectives exchanged looks, unsure of what to do.

"Detectives Ryan and Esposito, I wish to speak to Mr. Castle, alone," she said in her best detective voice.

They both opened their mouths to object, but she shooed them away. Groaning, they walked over to the farthest part of the apartment, keeping an eye on her.

"Beckett," Castle started. She shook her head.

"Give me a minute," she murmured, trying to turn her gaze to anywhere but the author.

She wasn't sure how to feel. Well, actually she did. Her emotions were a mixture of anger, betrayal, hurt, and a sliver of flattery. However, that feeling was quickly quashed at the reminder that her privacy, the most intimate parts of her life, had been invaded, all at the expense of a man being entertained.

"Why?" she asked.

He sighed. "Like I said, I was fascinated. But Beckett, it was, no, it is much more than that." She looked at him, frowning as his eyes pleaded with hers to understand. "I would never hurt you, Kate. You have to believe that."

"You wrote a book about me," she stated. "What were going to do?"

"Get your permission to publish it, after we got to know each other better."

She sat on the arm of her couch, trying to figure out what else to say, unable to find it in herself to believe him.

"How much do you know about…" she gestured toward the shutters, knowing he would understand what she meant.

"It's more conjecture than anything, but I think I have a pretty basic idea. I won't get into it if you don't want to, I know how much it upsets you." He leaned forward, dropping his voice to a whisper, "However, I think you and I both know that was what your attack was about."

She nodded in agreement, eyeing Ryan and Esposito. As she thought, something occurred to her, and she threw Castle a curious glance.

"The day I was sick, when the soup and water was delivered to me, that wasn't Ryan and Espo, was it?"

"Nope," he replied proudly. "Sometimes, money and charm can get you anything."

She laughed, shaking her head. However, she sobered up, her gaze turning hard.

"I won't press charges against you or put out a restraining order. Even though I should," she murmured. "However, I do ask that you stay away from me. Ryan and Esposito will contact you if they have anymore questions. As for your book, get rid of it." She fought the part of her that wanted to see what he had written, to see what he thought of her. "Also, throw out the binoculars."

"Okay," he acquiesced. "I'll just tell my publisher that I changed my mind. I'll figure out what to do with the binoculars." He stopped, taking a shaky breath. "May I go?"

She answered with an affirmative nod, tilting her head toward the doorway. Lifting his hand, he went to reach toward her, before changing his mind and returning his hand to the arm of the chair.

"Take care of yourself, Kate." With that, he wheeled out the door. Kate could've sworn his eyes were filled with tears, but he turned too quickly for her to tell.

Ryan and Esposito began to go after him, but she shook her head.

"Let him go. He didn't do anything," she said simply. "Nothing worth going after, anyway."

She ran her free hand through her hair, biting her lip, attempting to ignore the hollow feeling in her chest at the sight of him leaving. She would patch it up the best way she knew how.

So, she straightened herself up, staring down her colleagues, her brain transitioning into detective mode.

"What else do you have for me?"

* * *

Rick wheeled himself into the loft, ignoring the stares of his mother and daughter.

"What happened, Dad?" Alexis asked, concerned.

He grumbled, looking at them. "Her partners happened." He quickly explained what occurred in Beckett's apartment, his throat tightening at the idea that he wouldn't see her again.

"While I'm sure we're both sorry, Darling, we did warn you," Martha said, shrugging, but with a sympathetic smile. Alexis mirrored his mother's expression, and he shook his head.

"I know, I know. I guess some part of me hoped that she would see past what I did and let me stay in her life. However, I don't blame her."

He didn't blame her one bit, and he planned to respect her wishes, regardless of the ache in his chest.

"If you ladies don't mind, I'd like to be alone for a while."

Rolling into his office, he scowled, going for the drawer with the binoculars in it. As he examined them, he knew he needed to destroy them completely, lest he give into temptation. Taking a small hammer from another drawer, he slammed it on the object, breaking the lenses. Within minutes, shards of glass and plastic covered the surface of his desk. As he looked at the pieces, a bitter chuckle escaped his mouth.

"Guess I have three broken things now," he muttered.

Unfortunately, unlike his knee and binoculars, his heart couldn't be easily mended.


	13. Chapter 13

AN: Here's the next chapter! I started my internship, so the writing schedule is going to be a little more spread out. Thanks to those who followed, favorited, and reviewed this story. I really appreciate the response I've received for this story.

Disclaimer: I don't own Castle.

* * *

Chapter 13

Kate threw her keys onto the coffee table before slumping onto her couch in relief. She was returning from her doctor's appointment, where all of the suture were removed, as well as her sling. Running her hands over her abdomen, she smiled, glad to be free of the stitches from her wounds. No more tape pulling at her skin, no more reason to be worried about ripping anything. She still couldn't bend over all the way or walk in a normal fashion, but a burden had been lifted from her shoulders nonetheless.

She had intended to have the doctor write a note giving her the all clear for work; however, someone clearly snitched to Captain Montgomery about her appointment, since she received a message from him saying to stay away from the precinct until she was fit for duty. So, back home she went, with orders from the doctor to start physical therapy twice a week. She tried to negotiate for three times a week, but the doctor prohibited her from over-straining herself, despite her dire need to return to work. He didn't understand, never would. She needed to be in the precinct, all of her resources for her mother's case were there, along with her job. It didn't help matters that the boys kept silent, their last visit producing very little about her attack.

Scowling, she gazed longingly at her pull up bar by the door, wanting nothing more than to use it. Despite being able to stand and walk straight, her body lacked its usual strength. She hoped to remedy that soon and get her body back into shape. Right now, though, she desired delicious, fattening food.

Kate walked over to the refrigerator and her hands pawed through the rows in search of something decent to eat, coming up with a package of string cheese. As she nibbled, her eyes examined the shelves, noting to herself that she should restock her food supply. She wanted dinner, but a part of her was still afraid to call for delivery. What if someone came to finish the job? She definitely wasn't willing to and wouldn't take that risk for a good while. So, her stomach would have to settle for a TV dinner instead.

She acknowledged that she had been spoiled the past few weeks. The last time her fridge had been supplied was when Castle filled it to the hilt with pre-made meals galore. Perhaps if she called him…

Kate shook her head vigorously at the thought, attempting to be rid of it. She couldn't think about him, shouldn't think about him. He had lied to her and didn't deserve any of her time, mentally or physically. Whenever her thoughts when down that path, they were bitter, angry, and even worse, sometimes filled with longing. What if she had told him to stay? What would she be doing now? What was he up to? Had he moved on and written another book? It was stupid for her thoughts to linger on a man she had kicked out of her life, but her brain was unable to help it. Richard Castle had invaded her life and it was going to take every ounce of willpower not to invite him over. Regardless, hell would freeze over before she gave into temptation. She groaned, turning her gaze toward the window.

Why did being sensible have to be so damn difficult?

* * *

Rick groaned internally, trying to listen to the two women in front of him. He figured that there would be a lecture on cancelling the book, but he sorely underestimated the lengths his agent and publisher would go to persuade him to continue. Hence, the scolding session taking place in his office.

"I don't understand, Rick," Gina huffed, exasperated. "You have a dry spell for almost a year, become inspired again, then want to cancel the book? What the hell is going on with you?"

"I've already scheduled the photoshoot for the cover! Do you know how hard that was to book at this time of year?" Paula glared, forcing him to shrink in his chair. "Really, Rick, don't you realize what's at stake here?"

He gritted his teeth, repressing his annoyance. It wouldn't be fair to lash out at them, they didn't know what happened.

"I know, I know. Look, I promise I'll have something the next month or so."

"Why can't you just use this story? It's great, Rick. What's the problem?" Gina asked.

He hesitated, his brain searching for the most reasonable explanation.

"It…just doesn't feel right anymore. I'm not satisfied with it." There, a typical writer answer.

"Bullshit," Gina muttered. "You were so enthusiastic about this. Hell, to the point where you were even little overzealous about it. There is no way you aren't 'inspired' anymore. What's really going on, Rick?" Her eyes examined him carefully, but his resolved remained.

"Nothing! I just don't think the story is good enough anymore. Like I said, I'll come up with something soon."

"You better. You know your contract is at stake with Black Pawn," Paula scolded. "If you don't publish soon, they're looking to drop you."

Yes, he remembered. Gina reminded him countless times of the impending contract end since he mentioned the discontinuation of the book. However, he planned to ensure that didn't happen. He just needed to figure out a plot first.

"Well, thank you ladies for coming, but I must start brainstorming, it seems." He smirked as the two women rolled their eyes. "I'll show escort you to the door."

They walked, well he rolled, in silence to the loft entrance. Throwing open the door, he gestured with an outward hand, receiving warning glares in response.

"Two months," Gina warned.

"Otherwise, there's going to be a whole other conversation," Paula chimed.

"Understood," he muttered as they walked out. Slamming the door, he sighed, running a hand through his hair. Great, two months to make a book. No way it was going to measure up to Nikki Heat, but he had no choice.

Rolling to the office, he opened up his laptop, already open to the word program. He stared, tempted to retrieve the document he deleted days before. He knew how and it would be easy, just a few clicks. His finger hovered, ready to make the move. However, he stopped himself, remembering his promise to Kate. He would honor it, whether his imagination liked it or not.

His gaze slid over to the window, his body yearning to go outside. The weather was decent, and the trees were beginning to bloom. Maybe nature could help fuel his writing. Some of the best writers found their inspiration that way. Yeah, that's it. Fresh air meant a fresh start.

"Hey, Alexis; why don't we take a stroll around the park? I'll bring my crutches."


	14. Chapter 14

AN: Here's the next chapter! Thanks for all the follows, favorites, and reviews for this story. I really appreciate them!

Disclaimer: I don't own Castle.

* * *

Chapter 14

Rick sighed, a half hearted smile spreading across his face. Well, it looked like he was making some progress in his writing. He swept his gaze over the screen, examining his writing so far, fairly satisfied. His stroll in the park aided him in his latest brainstorm. While his newest character was no Nikki Heat, she was still pretty decent. The thought made him pause.

When did he allow his writing to be just decent? Oh right, when he decided to keep his promise. Not that he never kept a promise, just that this particular one was quite the obstacle to his career. However, as long it kept him out of jail, he would do it.

Groaning, he stretched his arms before wheeling around his desk. He missed walking without the hinderance of crutches. At least he had one more week in the wheelchair and then he could do what he wanted. Hopefully, nothing else would happen that would cause him to injure his knee any further. He didn't need whatever small amount of luck he had left to run out on him.

Looking out his window, Rick gazed longingly at the apartment across the way. It was hard, but he slowly, but surely felt himself getting over her. Well, he thought he was. He needed to give it another week or so to figure it out. In that time, he would continue to write and meet his deadline. He would spin of tale of the non-Nikki character, make Gina and Paula happy. It would be enough until the cast was removed and he was fee to roam.

It needed to be enough.

* * *

The following week, Kate sat on the couch across from her M.E. friend. She had invited Lanie over for drinks and girl talk, which was part of a plan to bring normalcy back into her own life. She figured calling Lanie over for a chat was a good way to go. Plus, she missed the woman, both of them being busy or too confined to meet or talk, with the exception of the occasional phone call. Kate had been thrilled when Lanie said yes to the idea.

So now, Kate sipped her wine as her friend chatted away.

"How are you doing? You definitely look much better than the last time I saw you," her friend inquired, raising an eyebrow.

Kate swirled the liquid in her glass, staring at it intently "I'm okay. I've been improving these past few weeks. I feel stronger, thanks to the physical therapy, and I'm sure I'll be able to return to the precinct soon." She laughed at the medical examiner's eye roll. "What? I need to get back to work at some point."

"Of course, because you're you," Lanie replied. "However, the way Ryan and Esposito talked, Montgomery was going to put a barrier around the precinct if you tried to return to work before he allowed it."

"I wouldn't be surprised if he did," Kate murmured. "I'm just tired of not doing anything, which is why I'm glad to be doing physical therapy. It forces me out of the apartment." It also distracted her from thinking about a certain author.

Lanie nodded in agreement, her expression solemn. "Listen, Ryan told me about Castle. I'm really sorry. I thought he was a great guy. Guess not."

The detective pursed her lips, her glance moving to the windows. Her thoughts briefly flickered to what he might be doing at that moment, but she quashed them in an instant.

"Honestly? He was a nice guy, but what he did was creepy, and so very wrong." She shook her head, taking another sip. "I couldn't let someone like that stay in my life, it would only lead to trouble."

No matter how much you wanted him to stay, a voice in her head taunted.

"You made the right call," her friend assured her. "Otherwise, what would have happened if he stayed? It would tell him that his behavior was normal, which it wasn't."

Kate sighed, looking down at her hands. Truth be told, if she hadn't kicked Castle out of her life, he could have been eating dinner with her, talking her into watching another movie, or whatever else he came up with to entertain her.

She frowned, realizing how ridiculous her thoughts sounded. She wasn't one to pine after a guy, particularly one with stalker tendencies, and she wasn't going to start now.

"Yeah, I'm glad I dodged that bullet," she remarked, attempting to ignore the way her chest clenched. Time for a change in topic. "So, how is everything with you?"

Lanie grinned, diving into detail about some new cases, and Kate listened, glad for the distraction.

However, the voice in the back of her mind, the one that knew her desires, taunted her with possibilities of a future with a certain author. It continued for the rest of the night and Kate found it difficult to ignore.

She also realized she didn't want to silence it just yet.

* * *

"All right, Rick, you're free to go!"

Rick sighed in relief, gingerly swinging his uncovered knee next to the table top in the doctor's office. It felt so nice to be cast-free, again.

"Promise me you won't break it so soon?" the doctor pleaded.

The writer gave the man a salute along with a teasing grin.

"I promise I have absolutely no plans to break any of my bones in the near future," he said, getting off the table.

The doctor rolled his eyes, amused. Handing Rick a piece of paper with directions for after care, he instructed the author to go to the physical therapy unit to set up an appointment.

"You need to go twice a week," he ordered. "Particularly since your leg has been inactive for quite some time."

Rick nodded in agreement. His leg felt stiff, but still somewhat moveable. Hopefully, physical therapy would get him back on track. However, he would use crutches to move around for a bit longer in order to not overwhelm his newly healed injury.

After a final goodbye, Rick left the office and rode the elevator up to the tenth floor. Thankfully, the physical therapy office took up most of the floor, so the entrance wasn't hard to find. He entered, approaching the receptionist, who he discovered was a fan, since she softly squealed when she spotted him. She fawned over him for a few minutes before instructing him to wait as she examined the schedule. He took a seat in one of the cushioned chairs, noting that the office was fairly empty.

Much like his other doctor visits, he grabbed a magazine, one he hadn't already read, and thumbed through it. Growing bored, he picked up another, landing on an article that seemed halfway interesting. As he read, he heard the door to the office open, but he didn't look up, too engrossed in an article about pandas.

"I'm here to see Roland," a voice at the desk murmured.

The sound made him freeze, his grip on the magazine tightening. He knew that voice, he'd recognize it anywhere. It meant that she was here, with him, in the exact same room. Then, it dawned on him.

Oh shit, Kate was here.

He needed to move out of her line of sight and fast. Getting up from the chair, he began to walk toward the other end of room, hoping to hide himself behind the other side of the reception desk. Unfortunately, he wasn't quick enough.

"Castle?" she called in a bewildered tone.

He turned, plastering an uneasy smile on his face. Fear ran through him as he took in the upset and angry expression on her face. Oh, and she was giving him the patented Beckett glare. Not good.

"Hey, Kate." A nervous chuckle escaped his lips. "Long time, no see."

He was so dead.


	15. Chapter 15

AN: So, here's the next chapter. Thanks for the follows, favorites, and reviews for this story. I really appreciate them!

Disclaimer: I don't own Castle.

* * *

Chapter 15

Kate stared at the man in front of her, trying to keep her emotions under control. The moment she had spotted him in her peripheral vision, her heart had sped up double time and she had felt her cheeks grow warm. Damn him for making her feel like a teenager.

"Beckett, look, I can explain," he started, thrusting a piece of paper toward her. "Here. I swear, it's real." Snatching up the slip, she eyed him suspiciously, before scanning it. Well, it seemed legitimate…

"So, this is just a complete coincidence?" she inquired with a raised eyebrow, returning the paper to him.

"I promise you, I didn't know you were here, at all." His gaze locked with hers, honesty shining in his eyes.

"Okay. I believe you," she replied, surprising herself. She knew she shouldn't trust him, but her heart was winning over her head, preventing any rational form of thought. After the statement was out, they stared at each other, an awkward silence filling the room.

"Mr. Castle?" the girl said, eyes bouncing back and forth between the two.

As Castle's head snapped toward the young woman, he plastered a smile on his face.

"Yes?"

"The only therapist who is not fully booked is only available Tuesdays and Fridays in the afternoon. Is that okay with you?"

Kate groaned internally. Those were her therapy days too!

Seeming to notice her reaction, Castle hesitated. "Ah,"

"It's fine, Castle," she murmured, waving a dismissive hand. "You've kept your promise and I don't want to inconvenience you."

"You sure?" She nodded, and he tossed her a grateful smile in response. Turning to the receptionist, he said, "Yes, that's fine. I can come on those days."

The young blonde beamed as she inputed the information into the computer. "All right, you're all set. You will be seeing Jacob on Friday."

Castle thanked the woman before turning back to Kate.

"Beckett, I'm sorry about everything. Really, I am."

"I know you are, Castle." She sighed, running a hand through her hair.

No matter how much she wanted to hate him, to stay angry at him, she couldn't. He did what she told him to do, and he seemed sincere in his regret over his actions. The least she could do was be willing to stay in the same room with him for a short period of time. Besides, it wasn't like they had to talk to each other while waiting.

"So, I guess I'll be seeing you around then," he said.

"Yeah."

He moved his head in confirmation, clearly unsure of what else to say before deciding to walk to the door. After a moment he stopped, glancing back toward her.

"You look good by the way. Not that you don't always look good, just that you look better, healthier," he stated nervously.

In spite of herself, she laughed. "Thanks, Castle. You don't look too bad yourself," she teased.

He gave one his genuine smiles, the one she thought was only meant for her sometimes. "Thanks," he replied, heading out the door, hobbling on his crutches as he went.

Once he was out of her sight, she slumped down into the nearest seat. She thought she would never see him again, never look into those deep blue eyes again, despite her overwhelming desire to go across the street and visit him.

It appeared fate had other plans.

* * *

That Friday, Rick double checked his hair in the mirror before heading out of the loft. He knew it was silly, since she probably wouldn't even talk to him, but that didn't mean he still wasn't going to put effort into his looks.

While he was under no illusions about them even communicating, he held onto some hope that maybe, just maybe, she would want to speak with him, try to understand him a little better. However, her guarded nature would most likely dictate otherwise. Regardless, he would let her approach him, if she even gave a second thought to him being there.

He hailed a cab, since Alexis was at the library studying, and traveled to the hospital. Once there, he went to floor of the PT unit and checked in. Unlike last time, the waiting room was packed with patients and families, but no Kate. He pouted a little before taking a seat. Thankfully, he didn't have to wait long.

A burly man with tan skin approached Rick, holding out his hand in greeting.

"You must be Rick," the man said, grinning. "I'm Jacob, your physical therapist. Nice to meet you."

"Likewise," Rick responded, returning the handshake.

"Come on, follow me," Jacob commanded, gesturing down a long hallway.

Rick followed, glancing into some of the private rooms where patients were having sessions. The reasons for them being there varied, from broken limbs to most severe injuries or ailments.

"So, you guys get a lot of people?" Rick asked as Jacob showed him into a room.

"Oh yeah. We're the hospital's main therapy unit. We provide most of the service for patients who go here." Jacob began setting up some items as the author sat himself on the examination table. "I have to admit, your case is pretty easy compared to what I normally deal with."

"Really?"

"Mhmm. Kind of glad, actually. I love my job, but sometimes seeing the some of the patients in the shape they're in can be rough. However, it is rewarding when they reach their goals."

Rick nodded in understanding, recalling what it was like to see Kate slowly heal and grow stronger as she did her exercises in the apartment.

"But, anyway, enough talk about that, let's get started."

For the next twenty minutes, Jacob instructed Rick on simple routines to get his knee going again. Most of them were easy, but Rick still cringed, feeling like the Tin Man without any oil on his joints. As long as he got rid of the crutches, though, it was worth it.

About half an hour into the session, Rick was laying on the exam table when he heard a crash coming from the next room. Jacob frowned before going to check. He returned a few minutes later shaking his head.

"Everything okay?" Rick inquired, hoping no one was seriously hurt.

"Yeah, just one of the patients, who pushes herself too much sometimes. She apparently fell over when doing one of her throwing exercises."

Well that sounded familiar.

"Stubborn?"

"Eager to return to work and life," Jacob answered.

"Ah," Rick responded, not pushing anymore. He knew Jacob couldn't tell him anyway, patient confidentiality and all.

The next fifteen minutes were spent doing more exercises until the therapist called time. After confirming an appointment for the following Tuesday, Rick left the room. He slid his glance toward next door, almost giving into temptation. It turned out he didn't have to since the moment he began to walk away, a familiar brunette crossed the threshold.

Giving her a quick once over, Rick could tell she was exhausted, her breathing heavy and her walk slower than normal, her body clearly over-worked. It didn't surprise him in the least, since she always liked to push the envelope. When she spotted him, she gave him a gentle smile.

"Hey," she greeted as she walked to the waiting room.

"Hey yourself," he replied. "You okay?"

She shrugged indifferently. "Just tired, that's all. Therapy always wears me out," she admitted, biting her lip.

They walked in silence for a few moments, reaching the now empty waiting room. As they strolled, he noticed her stride come to a halt, attempting to slow her breathing.

"Why don't you sit down?" he suggested. Surprisingly, she listened to him, settling herself onto one of the leather couches. "Do you go home alone after therapy?"

She eyed him before pursing her lips. "Yeah, always do."

He sighed, wanting to ask if she wanted to take a cab with him, but he knew it wouldn't be a good idea.

"Well, I guess I'll see you Tuesday." He bounced on his toes, unsure of what else to say. While he was a gentleman, walking away would most likely be the best option for the current situation. "Okay, bye." No response. Her eyes were closed, her head leaning against the couch.

He turned, slowly walking toward the exit. However, her voice stopped him.

"Castle?'

He spun around, blue eyes locking with hazel. As he stared, he could see an inner conflict occurring inside of her. After a moment, her eyes hardened, as if she resolved some turmoil within herself and the next words that fell from her lips surprised him.

"Stay."


	16. Chapter 16

AN: So, here's the next chapter. Thank you for all the follows, favorites, and reviews for this story. I really appreciate them!

Disclaimer: I don't own Castle.

* * *

Chapter 16

The ride back to their street was fairly quiet, with the exception of the occasioonal comment from one of them. As the sat there, Rick sensed the tension in the air, knowing that she probably didn't trust him just yet. He hoped to remedy that, but at her pace, of course.

When they arrived at the front of his building, they exited the cab, staring at each other as the vehicle drove off.

"So, see you Tuesday?" he questioned.

"Or maybe earlier?" she murmured, causing him to raise an eyebrow. "Look, I'm not going to lie, the situation is...weird. However, I know you're a good person, maybe overzealous, but good." Her lips twitched. "And I've missed you...and your food."

He laughed, the sound reverberating in his chest. It made his heart flutter at the thought of her missing him, knowing how hard it was for her to admit such a thing, given her need for independence.

"I've missed you too, Beckett."

She blushed before nodding. "Maybe Sunday we can meet up for coffee or something?"

"So I can prove to you that I can be a normal human being?" he teased.

"I don't think we were ever meant to be normal, Castle." She gazed at him, hazel locking with blue. Looked like someone had a change in perspective.

"Says the woman who doesn't believe in fate."

She shrugged her shoulders indifferently. "So, Sunday?"

"Yeah, Sunday," he agreed.

Grinning, she gave him one last glance before heading toward her building.

Walking to his own home, Rick smiled. If he didn't have the crutches, he would've skipped.

Maybe they could get back on track quicker than he thought.

* * *

That Sunday, they decided to meet at the little coffee shop on the corner since it was within walking distance. It's a quaint place, with couches and chairs scattered throughout, along with a combination of a lush carpet and hardwood for flooring. Cozy, but still clearly a business.

Arriving first, he ordered a pastry and a small coffee. He refrained from ordering her usual just in case she felt perturbed by him doing things for her.

She came in shortly after and he waved her over to a table nestled in the corner away from the rest of the patrons.

"How are you?" he asked as she sat down across from him. Sure enough, she clutched a bear claw in one hand and her normal coffee in the other.

"Good. It feels great to be out and about again."

Examining her, he could see she was telling the truth. The exhaustion that had once occupied her features a few weeks ago barely showed, and her color was back, her cheeks tinged a healthy pink. She appeared to have gained some weight as well, most likely due to his cooking.

He chuckled. "I know the feeling. Being cooped up inside for so long can make you do crazy things."

"As we both found out," she grumbled, eyeing him.

Hands raised in defense, he shook his head, saying, "My spying days are over, I promise." His expression turned somber. "I mean it. I won't do anything regarding you without asking you first."

"Thank you, I appreciate that." She pursed her lips. "But I don't want you to feel as if you have to walk on eggshells around me. I want to retain some normalcy between us, but with boundaries."

"Got it. What might these boundaries be?"

She sighed, seeming to think for a moment. When she spoke, he found the list easy to follow and the requests reasonable. Though, even if they had been unreasonable, he still would've followed them.

The rules were the following: no showing up to her apartment unannounced and call first. Do not call her at odd hours of the night. Do not ask about her mother's case, yet. Finally, if she asked for space, he needed to give it to her.

"Are these rules subject to change?"

"Depends on how you do," she responded curtly. However, the upward tilt of her lips told him that yes, the rules could definitely change or be wiped away all together.

"So, now that's out of the wa, how are you? Must be great to have your cast off, finally."

"Yep! Only downside is all the dry skin peeling off." He shuddered, recalling how his shower floor had been covered in dead skin his first night cast-free.

Her nose wrinkled in disgust. "Yeah, that does get pretty disgusting. Busted my arm once while chasing a suspect and I almost vomited from how bad my arm smelled when the cast came off. Definitely not pretty."

Humming in agreement, Rick played with his napkin, a pleasant lull falling between them. As they wrapped up their meal, they talked about inconsequential things, such as childhood memories and favorite movies. He just fiinished up a story about a rehearsal his mother made him suffer through as a child when she checked her watch.

"I need to go," she said in a reluctant tone. "Lanie agreed to help me with grocery shopping. I need food. I've been living off the remaining TV dinners you gave me."

His lips formed into a slight pout. "Okay."

As she stood up, her head tited in thought. "I really enjoyed doing this, Castle. Maybe we can meet up again during the week?"

He beamed. "Sure!"

She bit her lip. "I want to do this until I can completely trust you. I do, to some extent, but not that much."

"I understand, Becket." He did. However, he hoped he could regain her trust soon. Anything to make her more comfortable around him.

"See you around, then."

With that, she left, tossing him a quick smile as she exited the shop. Leaning back in his chair, Rick sighed in relief. That had gone better than he expected.

Hopefully, it would all be uphill from there.


	17. Chapter 17

AN: Here's the next chapter! Thanks for all the follows, favorites, and reviews for this story, I really appreciate them.

Disclaimer: I don't own Castle.

* * *

Chapter 17

During the next two weeks,, the duo met five times, including the times they sat in the waiting room together before physical therapy. Beckett called him up the Wednesday after their first discussion, wanting to see him. So, they convened at the local park, making small talk on a bench for an hour. Both walked away with high spirits, and Beckett seeming more comfortable around Rick.

They met again on Tuesday and Friday in the waiting room, the conversation filled with comments and guesses regarding the other patients. Apparently, Beckett had a knack for making up stories on the spot. Although, Rick knew her job required her to fit facts together, so coming up with the history was a necessary skill. Still, the the wide array of backstories her mind conjured up impressed him, her creative thought process being yet another thing he loved about her.

When Sunday arrived again, Rick positioned himself in the same corner of the cafe as the week prior. He waited, sipping a regular iced coffee as his eyes stayed on the door. He knew he looked like an anxious teenager, but he didn't care. He didn't even bother to hide his excitement as she walked through the door and greeted him with a small smile.

Once she obtained to order, Kate approached the table. To his surprise, she placed a slice of his favorite cheesecake, topped with a single, unlit candle, in front of him.

"Happy Birthday," she said, grinning.

"You remembered!" he exclaimed, surprised.

She chuckled softly. "It's hard to forget the story of your mother's theater troop thinking she was pulling an April Fool's Day prank while in labor."

"This is true," he conceded. "Seriously, though, thank you." He took a bite, his taste buds in heaven at the mix of chocolate and raspberry. "How did you know I like this?"

Rolling her eyes, she answered, "You're not the only one with excellent observational skills. Kind of need that to be a cop." She shrugged. "You're always eyeing it in the display case."

"Right," he mumbled in between bites. "Would you like some?"

Waving a dismissive hand, she shook her head. "Nah, I'm good. I need to stay in shape for work and I've gained some weight from all the laying around I've been doing." She patted her stomach, as if to emphasize the imaginary bulge.

A loud snort escaped his mouth. "I don't think gaining weight is the problem. You were like a toothpick when I met you."

She scowled adorably. "Are you saying I'm getting fat?"

"No, absolutely not," he replied. "You're getting healthy. Like a normal person who lives off of other things besides coffee, take out, and whatever else you nibbled on in between. It just took my cooking for it to happen." He smirked, enjoying her petulant expression. She may not like it, but it was true. At least she was doing better.

"Yeah, well, your cooking is deadly. I think I destroyed my arteries," she muttered. He released a low laugh in response.

She finished up her food and they left, heading toward their homes.

"Are you doing anything for your birthday?"

Rick shook his head. "Not really. Just hanging out, maybe get some writing done and open presents from Mother and Alexis. So, taking it easy."

She hummed. "That sounds nice."

"Normally, I'd throw some type of party, but I'm not feeling up to it this year." Life had been too hectic lately and he felt the need to have some semblance of sanity for a while. Next year, however, he was going to make up for the lack of festivities, big time.

"I understand." He looked at her, noticing the contemplative expression on her face. What was she thinking about?

They stopped in front of his building, gazing at each other. Then, he thought over his next words carefully, hoping not to creep her out.

"Also, I was able to spend some time with you, so it hasn't been completely dull."

She bit her lip, quiet for a moment, eyes sliding to the entrance of her building.

"Look, I'm not great at this whole thing," she stated, making a vague hand gesture between them. "I'm still trying to sort things out in my head and just beginning to trust you again, but it's going to take me a while to figure stuff out on my end. Just give me time, okay?"

Her eyes pleaded with him, begging him to understand. He did.

"Take as long as you need, Kate. I'm not going anywhere unless you say so." And he would leave if she asked him to, no questions asked, despite the pain it would cause him.

"Thank you," she murmured.

He hesitated for a second, trying to come up with the best way to approach his next question.

"Maybe, when you're more sure of things, you'd like to have dinner at the loft?" His expression turned shy, his eyes expressing uncertainty. "With all three of us, Alexis, Mother, and I, as an official meeting of the family of sorts. Only if you know you can handle it, of course," he added, feeling relief as her shoulders relaxed.

"Yeah, I'd like that," she replied, tossing him a gentle smile. "Well, I'll see you Tuesday?"

"Yes. You want to share a cab?"

He'd asked this the other times as well, via text. She'd declined and he didn't expect anything different this time. However, her answer surprised him.

"Sure."

"Really?"

A chuckle fell from her lips. "Yes, I'm sure, Castle. I'll text you to when I'm ready to go."

"Okay," he replied, maintaining a calm facade. Internally, he cheered. Finally, progress! It was a small thing, but one step closer nonetheless. "See you Tuesday."

They parted ways, entering their respective buildings. Rick entered the elevator, a dreamy smile on his face. It looked like things were moving quicker than he expected, which thrilled him to no end. He restrained himself from thinking too far ahead, however, since that proved to be his downfall the last time. He needed to wait for Kate make the first move.

Even if Nikki did start to reappear in his head.


	18. Chapter 18

AN: So here's the next chapter. Thanks for all the follows, favorites, and reviews for this story. I really appreciate them!

Disclaimer: I don't own Castle.

* * *

Chapter 18

Kate hovered her finger over the send button, knowing that the simple two word message was another step closer to her and Castle potentially becoming something more. A huge step, in fact, since this was the first time she would be in a confined space with him, alone, save for the driver, for a long period of time. It wasn't that she feared him hurting her. No, they were beyond that. Her trepidation came from the constant buzz she felt between them. At one point the buzz would sizzle until it exploded and she hoped it didn't happen in the backseat of a cab.

Taking a calming breath, she hit send, laughing when he responded a minute later with an okay followed by an array of emojis. She entered the elevator, bouncing on her toes. She really needed to calm down. Shaking her head to rid herself of the nerves, she stepped off the elevator, spotting him through the glass door, attempting to wave down a cab.

"Hey," she greeted as she approached him.

"Afternoon, Beckett," he replied, beaming. "I hoped to have a cab for you by this point; unfortunately, that isn't the case."

"It's fine, Castle." She raised her hand while letting out a loud whistle, makingthe next cab stop. "Looks like I have the magic touch." She smirked, rolling her eyes as he pouted. He could be such a child sometimes!

As they sat in the cab, she placed as much distance as she could between them. The electricity flowed in the air and she wondered if he noticed it too.

"So, how many therapy sessions do you have left?" he asked, curious.

She shrugged. "I think I have five or six more?" Last session, her therapist had told her it could be a few more appointments before she was cleared for duty, since she needed to prove that her body was healed enough to return to work. Not like she would be in the field anyway. Her psych evaluation and the reissuing of her gun still remained on her to do list. She was so not eager to do either of those things, but whatever put her back in the field faster, she'd do it.

"I have three more," he said. She raised an eyebrow, surprised and envious at his short time in therapy. "My therapist thinks I'm healing fine, and that I just need to keep up the exercises at home." He swung his leg for emphasis and she realized he didn't bring his crutches this time.

"Lucky you," she muttered, cringing at how bitter she sounded. "Sorry. I'm just..."

"Frustrated?" he finished. She nodded. "You'll get back to your old self soon enough. Hell, you pretty much are your normal self, you just need a little more balance...and grace." His tone turned teasing, causing her to swat him on the arm.

"Har har," she grumped. "I can be graceful and hold my balance, thank you very much. Just you wait and see."

"Looking forward to it," he murmured, eyes scanning her body. She bit her lip, resisting the urge to scoot closer to him. His expression told her his mind and body warred with each other as well.

They arrived at the hospital and went the usual route to the physical therapy floor. Sitting in the waiting room, they scanned various magazines, commenting to one another about an article or two. After a while, Kate heard her name being called and she let out a soft sigh.

"Wish me luck," she muttered. He surprised her as he reached out, taking her hand and squeezing it in gentle reassurance.

"You'll do fine," he said, giving her a wink.

She tossed him a smile as she headed toward Rogan.

Well, time to get this done.

* * *

"That's it, Kate. Just a little more," Rogan urged as he stood over the detective.

She grunted, lifting the weight she held all the way up.

As part of her therapy, Kate lifted weights in order to improve her muscle strength, particularly since she lost some due to her inactivity. It also helped her retain some range of motion, which had been limited with the stitches and pain in her torso. Now, she barely felt any pain, with the exception of a twinge here and there.

"Good!" the therapist praised, removing the weight so she could sit up. "You've definitely come a long way from when you started here."

"But not enough to return to work." She pouted.

Rogan laughed, obviously used to this conversation.

"No, not yet. You still have a few more sessions before that happens. You did have serious injuries, after all."

"I know." She pursed her lips, folding her arms across her chest, sulking. She knew she was behaving childishly, but she couldn't help it. "I can't believe he has less sessions than I do, and he started later," she muttered to herself.

Rogan raised an eyebrow. "I'm assuming you're talking about Mr. Castle?" She moved her head in affirmation. "I figured, since you two seem quite close," he teased, his eyes shining with amusement.

"Yeah, I guess we are," she answered, shrugging. Okay, yes, they went to physical therapy together, left together, and talked to each other while they waited. It wasn't like there was anything unusual about it. Well, maybe there was, but when was anything normal when it came to her and Castle?

Rogan shot her a knowing glance. "Anyway, knife wounds and a broken knee aren't exactly in the same league."

"Yeah, yeah," she grumbled. She knew they were far different, but that didn't mean she couldn't be jealous about Castle's therapy ending.

"Well, our time is up for today. Make sure to do some exercises at home, but not too much of the pull up bar." He smirked as she rolled her eyes. At least she could use it now.

After bidding him goodbye, she left the room and went to the waiting area, spotting Castle sitting in one of the chairs.

"Ready to go?" he asked.

She nodded.

He stopped and looked at her, a nervous expression crossing his face.

"Um, I was wondering if perhaps you'd like to go out for ice cream at that little shop down the block from here? Relax a bit after all that strenuous activity?" He shifted on his feet, gazing at her with uncertainty.

She smiled, finding his shyness endearing.

"I'd be happy to!" Their time together so far made her a little more confident in where they stood, and perhaps now it was time to begin moving things along.

He grinned, his nervousness disappearing in an instant .

"Well, off we go then, Detective."

They headed for the elevator, walking in comfortable silence. When they entered the small space, she turned to look at him, her heart fluttering when she realized he was staring at her.

She reached her hand out to take his, intertwining their fingers. They fit together perfectly, as if they were made for each other. She held back a chuckle, realizing that Castle was rubbing off on her. But really, who knew?

Maybe the universe had plans for them.


	19. Chapter 19

AN: So, here's the next one! As always, thanks for the follows, reviews, and favorites for this story. I really appreciate them!

Disclaimer: I don't own Castle.

* * *

Chapter 19

Kate rapped her knuckles on the apartment door, a bottle of wine in her free hand. It had been a week since her and Rick's spontaneous ice cream outing. During the impromptu snack, she had lifted the texting restriction. She smiled as she recalled the way his face lit up as he promised not to over do it, whatever his definition of 'overdoing it' was. She chuckled, shaking her head. Well, he had said he was never a Boy Scout.

He would text her late at night, and sometimes, but rarely, in the early morning. His texts were usually questions, conspiracy theories, or premises for what could possibly be his next book. She had grown accustomed to it and actually looked forward to receiving his messages. He had sent her a text late at night a few days ago asking her if she wanted to 'officially' meet his family over dinner. She had hesitated at first, but decided to hell with it and replied yes, which was why she stood at his door, waiting for someone to answer it.

A moment later, the door opened, revealing a red-headed woman.

"Oh, hello, you must be Katherine. It's nice to finally meet you," Martha, Kate presumed, said cheerfully. "I'm Martha. Richard has told us so much about you. Only good things, I promise."

"It's nice to finally meet you too," Kate replied just in time to see Rick coming around the kitchen counter.

"Ahh, hello, my dear Detective." He smiled before pulling her in for a gentle hug. "And I will take this, far away from you, Mother." He took the wine bottle and went to the cabinet. The elder woman rolled her eyes dramatically.

As he prepared the drinks, Kate sniffed the air, licking her lips as the delicious aroma hit her nose.

"Smells great," she commented, examining her surroundings.

The loft decor was tasteful, none of it screaming bachelor pad. In fact, it felt more family-oriented, which made sense since he did have Alexis and his mother living there.

"Ah, yes, dinner is almost done. But for now, come on and take a seat," Castle said, gesturing toward the leather couch. Aftet handing her and Martha each a glass, he sat down next to Kate.

"Where's Alexis?" Martha asked.

"I'm right here," a voice called from the stairs. Kaye turned her head to see the youngest Castle found down the stairs, a grin on her face. "Sorry, I was just finishing up some homework."

"Well, you're here now," Castle replied.

Alexis nodded. Turning toward Kate, she held out her hand to shake. "It's great to see you again, Detective Beckett."

"Likewise." Kate had only met Alexis a handful of times, but she liked the girl. "And please, call me Kate."

The girl nodded before taking a seat in the chair across from the trio.

"So, I would ask how you two met, but we already know the answer to that question," Martha said taking a sip of her wine. Kate bit back a chuckle when she noticed the slightly irritated expression on Castle's face.

"Thank you for that, Mother," he grumbled. "I'm sure we all needed that reminder." He shot her an apologetic glance, obviously trying to not bring up the topic.

"It's okay, Castle. We can just tell people we met at physical therapy. They don't need to know the...other details. The only other ones who know the truth are Ryan and Esposito."

"And it needs to stay that way," he replied. Sighing, he shrugged, saying, "Anyway, water under the bridge, right?"

She nodded, knowing how much he regretted his actions. No reason to dredge up the past at a family dinner.

"So, Kate," Alexis started. "What's it like being a detective?"

Kate smiled, seeing the eagerness in the girl's eyes. She definitely had Castle's curiosity.

"Well, there's a lot of paperwork. Something your father tends to ignore in his books." She tossed him a pointed, but teasing glance. "But there's also a lot of cases we catch and solve. It can be tiring, but satisfying when the dead receive justice." It was always fulfilling providing a voice to the voiceless. It gave the family closure, something she and her father never had.

As if reading her thoughts, Castle took her hand, giving it a gentle squeeze. She responded with a grateful smile .

"That sounds interesting," Alexis murmured. "I'm not sure what I want to do yet. I know I have a few years before I graduate college, but still." The girl shrugged.

Kate glanced at the young Castle reassuringly. "You're a smart kid, Alexis. I'm sure you'll figure it out."

"Thanks," Alexis answered , surprised at the compliment.

With that, the oven timer went off and Castle practically jumped up from his seat.

"Well, time for dinner!" he said in an excited tone. "Hope you brought your appetite Beckett because you're going to eat quite the meal."

"Well, if it's anything like your other meals I'm definitely hungry."

All four of them laugh, the somewhat awkward atmosphere dissapating.

As they sat down, Kate looked at the three Castles and felt a longing to be one of them, part of their little family.

Perhaps at some point, she could be.

* * *

Dinner was an easier affair, with Martha regaling them with stories of her theatre troop and Castle's childhood. Castle played along, with a pout or an adorable scowl, which amused Kate to no end. Alexis chimed in on occasion too, telling tales of her and her father playing laser tag. Kate shared her own stories of her childhood as well, finding it not as hard to share stories of her mother as it once had been.

The meal consisted of breaded chicken with rice, carrots, and rolls. All of it delicious, of course. For dessert, Castle produced a chocolate cake and a platter of a variety of cookies. Once done, Kate attempted to help in the clean up, but was shooed away by Martha and Alexis, both insisting that as a guest she should not lift a finger. So instead, she stood by the vast window, sipping her coffee.

"So, this is where you watched me," she said as she heard Castle approach behind her.

"Yeah," he answered in a sheepish tone.

"What could you see?" She already had a feeling of what it was he could view, but she wanted to make sure.

"Just your kitchen and living room. So no, no voueyrism in that sense if you're worried about that. Although, I would never do that, despite how it tempting it would be."

She turned, eyebrow raised at the way his eyes trailed over body.

"Who knows? Maybe you slept in and missed it. After all, I do sometimes rush in the mornings. Girl's got to know how to multi-task." She laughed as his jaw dropped and shook her head. "You're so easy, Castle."

His lips formed into a pout and sighed.

"You're a cruel woman, Beckett," he whined.

She rolled her eyes. "Anyway, I think that since you saw my...personal murder board, I should be able to see yours." She was so not going to tell him it was an excuse to fangirl over being in the same room where his characters had come to life. "It's only fair."

He chuckled. "Well then, come into my office."

She followed him through the double doors, shutting them behind her.

"So, this is where you come up with your ideas?" she questioned, examining the room. The room's decor was just as tasteful as the other part of the loft. In particulaer, a painting of a winding staircase behind his desk caught her eye. Wonder where he got it from? She would ask him about that some point.

"More or less. Sometimes they'll come to me when I'm walking or just doing whatever. However, I always write them here." His fingers glided over the surface of the desk, a wistful smile on his face. "I do actually make a murder board, but only if the case is really convoluted. There's nothing on it right now."

"Mmm hmm," she hummed, scanning the titles on the shelves. The mix of graphic novels, classics, and nonfiction books made her smile. He certainly had eclectic taste. "Get any new ideas?"

He sighed. "Sort of. It's good enough for my publisher."

"But not for you," she concluded .

"No, not really," he admitted. "My last idea wound up in the trash." His tone wasn't bitter, just resigned.

Her heart clenched a little, knowing she's the reason for his melancholy state.

"I'm sorry about that, but I just didn't know if,"

"It's fine," he replied, cutting her off. "Like I said, I was able to come up with something else."

She pursed her lips, the knowledge that he wasn't satisfied with his own work saddened her. Maybe...

"You threw everything out, right?"

"Yes, of course I did." She narrowed her eyes, his tone conveying that he's hiding something.

"Castle..."

"What?" She gave him an incredulous look. "Alright, alright. I did throw out the complete copy and the draft. However, I kept a rudimentary outline I made. I do it for all of my books." He goes into a drawer of his desk, removing a small stack of papers. "I'll get rid of it if you want me to, but I just didn't have the heart to completely remove one of the best ideas I've had in a long time."

She sighed, taking the stack from him. As her fingers flipped through it, she saw summaries of chapters. Even though it was a rough outline, the storyline intrigued her.

"It's not very organized, I know. I just write things as they come to me."

She raised her finger to signal him to stop talking. He made a zipping motion with his fingers, eyes glancing at her nervously.

Continuing to peruse through the papers, she stopped at a list of characters and their descriptions and traits. The first name on the list made her freeze, a slight lump forming in her throat. _Nikki Heat._ The character he based on her, from the looks of it.

Biting back a remark about Nikki Heat being a stripper name, she planned to ream him for that later, Kate glanced at the character trait list, her eyes widening at the words. The words 'good-hearted', 'kickass', and 'beautiful', were some of the ones that stood out to her. Did he really think that highly of her, without them ever meeting?

"I wanted to meet you, make sure I did Nikki justice and get to know you a lot better." He shrugged. "That obviously didn't go as planned." A nervous chuckle escaped his lips, his head bowed.

"No, not exactly," she murmured. Yet, somehow, they had still been brought together. They stood in silence, the buzz returning. She began to think, and after a few moments said, "Would it take a lot of time for you to write this?"

His popped up. "What?"

"If you were to rewrite this, would it take you a long time?"

"Um no," he replied, his tone excited. "It's all up here. Pretty much have the whole book memorized." He pointed to his head. "Why?"

"Because I think you should publish it." The words came out in a rush, giving her no chance to second guess herself.

"Really?" he asked, shocked. "Are you sure?"

She nodded, her lips curling upward. "Yeah. I mean, as long as it's not too much work."

"No, no," he replied quickly, enthusiastic. "My publisher and agent will want to kill me, but that's only if I take forever to type this out."

She grinned, finding his joy infectious. "That's good." She gazed at him, smiling, as he bounced on his toes.

"Thank you so much, Beckett! God, I'm so happy right now I could kiss you."

She strode up to him, coming right up to his face, nose to nose. His breathe fanned her face making her close her eyes.

"So, why don't you?" she challenged, a playful smile on her lips.

"Kate," he whispered. "Are you sure? I mean, we don't have to-"

She chuckled lightly "Just shut up and kiss me, Castle."

With that, one of his hands grasped the back of her neck while the other cupped her cheek, and he pulled her forward. The instant their lips touched, she felt the spark between them explode, their mouths moving in sync. She swore sheneven moaned a little. God, his lips felt so soft, so good against hers. When they parted, he rested his forehead on hers.

"That was amazing," he murmured.

"Yeah, it was," she replied softly.

They both laughed.

"Well, let's go see if Mother and Alexis need help in the kitchen."

"Yes, let's," she replied, linking her fingers with his. As they opened the doors, Kate realized something. She had never felt happier than she did at that moment.

Hopefully, it lasted.


	20. Chapter 20

AN: So, here it is, sorry for the long wait. I took my LSAT over the weekend and really needed to prep for it, so the last few weeks have ben filled with studying. Anyway, thank you so much for the follows, favorites, and reviews!

Disclaimer: I don't own Castle.

* * *

Chapter 20

The following week became a flurry of phone calls for Rick. From Gina to businesses that were potential venues for the book launch, he was on the phone non-stop. While Paula would do most of the press and release arrangement, Rick felt he had troubled Gina and Paula enough that he needed to lend a hand.

Also, he wrote endlessly, only resting occasionally for food. Writing the book proved easy, since as he told Kate, he memorized it all. However, it still took a lot of time, particularly since he decided to tweak some things along the way. Thankfully, though, he was more than halfway done and he predicted he would finish the book by the end of the week.

Ever since their kiss the week before, Rick and Kate had been texting back and forth, when he took a break of course. While most of their texts consisted of banter and telling each other about their daily happenings, some had heavier topics, which usually involved Kate opening up more about her mother. She attempted to disguise it with jokes and light-hearted anecdotes, but he could tell it pained her still to discuss her mother. However, his heart swelled each time she decided to open up to him. It made their relationship feel more real.

At the moment, Rick typed furiously on his laptop, bringing another chapter to a close. As he finished the final word and saved the document, he phone rang, bringing up a candid picture of Kate. He gazed at it, smiling at her grin, which had been caused by Alexis making some sort of joke. He answered, his voice smooth.

"To what do I owe the pleasure of this call, my dear Detective?" he teases.

"Hey, Castle," she greeted. "So, I just came out of physical therapy."

Ahh, yes it was Tuesday. He wanted to go with her, but she had turned him to write and that she would be fine and let him know when she was done.

"You sound excited," he noted. "What's up?"

"Well," she started, pausing. "I just spoke with my therapist and he said after Friday's session, he would give me the all clear to go back to work."

Rick hesitated for a moment. He was thrilled for her, he really was. However, it forced him to realize that the little bubble they'd been in was about to burst.

"You still there?" she asked, concerned.

"Yeah."

"You don't seem happy at the news," she remarked.

"No, no. I am," he reassured her. "It's just- nevermind, it's silly."

"I'm sure it's not, Castle, Tell me what's wrong."

"It's nothing," he murmured. "I realized that we can't just be 'just us' anymore. There will be other people involved. And I'm a little a bit worried about you going back," he admitted.

She sighed. "I understand your concern, but I can't wait to go back, I miss being in the precinct. Though, I'll be probably be on desk duty until I can use my gun again and also my captain will make me desk for a bit anyway."

Rick chuckled. "I think I might like him." He sobered up. "Also, I'm afraid of you getting hurt again."

"But it wasn't at work where I got hurt," she reminded him gently.

"I know, I know. And yes, you can handle yourself."

"Thank you," she replied. "but it's nice that you worry. It's actually, well, sweet."

He laughed. "That's nice to know. Just, don't make me worry often, okay? I'm sort of an old man." He sighed, shaking his head. Deep down, he would always worry about her. The danger came with the job, but he couldn't help the concern.

"I'll try," she teased. "Besides, I still need to clear my psyche evaluation and be evaluated at the shooting range. So, it might be a bit before I'm out in the field again."

He breathed a sigh of relief. While her kickass personality is part of why he loved her, he also wanted her safe. Quite the conundrum.

"Well, I guess you better get back to your writing," she said. "How far along are you?"

"Almost done," he said. "The book will definitely be able to be published in a little more than a month."

"That's good," she said in an excited tone. "I can't wait to read it. I wonder how it ends?" she mused.

"Uh, uh, no spoilers, Detective. You're lucky you got to see the outline," he joked. He thought he was the lucky one, however. Showing her that outline allowed him to permit the world to see, in his opinion, one of his greatest creations. "Which reminds me; the book launch will most likely be not long after the book is published. I want you to be there."

"Are you asking me to be your plus one?" He could hear the smile in her voice.

"Yes, Detective Katherine Beckett, I am asking you to be my plus one to my book launch."

"Hmm, okay, as long as an autograph is included."

"You just need to tell me where you want it," he crooned.

"I can think of a few places."

He bit his lip, shifting in his seat, fighting back groan. It was all just talk, for now. She hadn't been given the okay to do any sexual activity. However, Friday could change all that, but it would be up to her, obviously.

"Tease," he replied. "Before you distract me any further, I'm going back to doing my job."

"Okay, then. Talk to you later."

"Love you," he said. A shaky breath emanated from the other end of the line.

"The feeling's mutual," she murmured, making his heart flutter. While they weren't the exact words, they were close enough.

"Until later, Kate," he said before hanging up.

He turned toward the screen again, a smile on his face.

Time to write the highly anticipated ending.

* * *

Kate took a deep breath before straightening her posture as the elevator dinged, announcing its arrival to the homicide floor. She smiled, eager to see al of her coworkers again. However, a pit formed in her stomach in anticipation for all the staring she would be on the receiving end of most likely.

The elevator opened and she smiled, nodding to her fellow comrades as they greeted her enthusiastically. She walked the familiar path to her desk and sat down, relishing in the feeling of being in her chair again.

"Hey, Beckett," Esposito greeted, Ryan trailing behind him. "Welcome back."

"It's good to be back," she responded, grinning, swiveling in her chair.

"It's been too quiet without you," Ryan said. "And now you can do your share of the paperwork again."

She snorted, glad to be back to the good natured ribbing from her colleagues.

"Anyway, don't get too comfy. Captain wants to see you," Esposito said.

"Of course," she said, getting up from the chair. She waved before walking toward Montgomery's office. She knocked and entered after hearing a muffled 'come in'.

"Ahh, Detective Beckett, it's nice to see you," Captain Montgomery greeted, gesturing toward the chair.

"Likewise, Sir," she replied, chuckling as she sat.

"Yes, the precinct has been not quite the same since you've been gone," he remarked. "Anyhow, I'm sure you realize that you cannot go into the field until you pass the shooting range and the psych evaluation."

"Of course." She hesitated before asking, "I know you're usually supposed to take the psych evaluation before coming back, so how come I was able to return?"

He smirked. "I pulled some strings, something along the lines of my best detective being out of work but probably wanting to come back. One PP made an exception, as long as you do the evaluations this week."

"I understand, Sir. Also, thank you very much."

"I figured you were going stir crazy at home, but I wasn't going to let you return after only a couple of weeks."

Kate blushed, rolling her eyes. "Yes, Sir."

"Good, now welcome back. I'm sure Ryan and Esposito have plenty of paperwork to hand you."

She laughed, nodding before leaving the office. As she walked to her desk, she spotted a giant stack of files on her desk. She sighed, slouching into the seat. Picking up a pen, she grabbed the first file and began reading. Halfway through, she looked up, observing the hustle and bustle of the precinct. She smiled softly to herself.

It felt good to be back.


	21. Chapter 21

AN: Here's the next one! Thanks for all the follows, favorites, and reviews for this story!

Disclaimer: I don't own Castle.

* * *

Chapter 21

Rick looked in mirror, adjusting his hair with his hand. His suave smile reflected back at him as he chuckled before winking at himself. There it was! He may be a bit out of practice, but he still had it. Richard Castle, millionaire playboy, returned for the night! Okay, well, not completely resurrected. He would play his part until needed, then he would return to Kate's side. He didn't want to be 'on' all night long honestly. He'd rather be with Kate, Mother, and Alexis most of the night. He didn't care it was his first book launch in while. So, he finished preparing, straightening his collar of his white shirt before going into the kitchen.

"You ready, Dad?" Alexis asked from the island, looking up from her book.

He nodded. "I'll meet you and Mother at the hotel. I'm picking up Beckett at work."

"Ferrari or town car?"

"Town car. Figured it would be better to be inconspicuous. I don't think she'll be thrilled if all eyes are on us the minute we pull up to the curb."

"Smart move," his daughter remarked.

"See, I can think ahead, sometimes," he joked, picking up a rose from the counter. "Well, I'll see you two later."

"See you, dad." Alexis waved as he left.

He went outside where the car and Thomas waited for him.

"Evening, Thomas," he greeted, smiling as the man held the door open.

"Good evening, Mr. Castle. Where are we headed to tonight?"

"Off to pick up a lovely lady. You remember Kate Beckett?"

"Of course." The older man smiled at the memory of meeting the pleasant woman Castle brought home from the hospital a few months ago.

"Well, she's my date tonight for my book launch. So, off to the twelfth precinct."

Thomas nodded before heading into the driver's seat. Rick sat in the back, his fingers tapping nervously on his knee, while the other hand clutched the thorn-free rose. He hadn't been on a date for a while, even though this wasn't a real private date, he still hoped Kate enjoyed it nonetheless. Due to her being back to work, they texted each other back and forth, in order to make up for the fact that he saw her less. However, they still occasionally met up for dinner or something on the weekends, but Kate felt she needed to catch up on work, and he wasn't going to hinder her when it came to her job. So, this was going to be their first real date.

While waiting, he checked his cell phone, rolling his eyes at some texts Gina sent, in which she pestered him to be on time. Thankfully, Paula seemed to be silent. However she would badger him when he arrived at the venue, no doubt. Shaking his head, he sent a text to Kate, telling her he was on his way.

They arrived at the precinct a few minutes later and he entered the building, placing a charming grin on his face for the officer at the front desk. She directed him to the homicide floor and he entered the elevator, pressing the button for the fifth floor.

As the lift moved, he bounced on his toes nervously, twisting the rose in his hands. In retrospect, he probably should have asked her if it was okay for him to come up to her workplace, but he thought it would be a nice surprise.

The door opened and he stepped off the elevator, his eyes searching for Kate. However, she wasn't in sight. Frowning he stepped in further, but a voice a few feet away stopped him.

"Hey, what are you doing here?" the voice spat.

Then, he found himself thrust against the precinct wall.

* * *

Kate hummed to herself, applying a layer of lip gloss to her lips. She doubled checked her hair in the mirror and straightened her knee-length navy blue dress with a v -neck. Simple, but elegant. She chuckled a little, the image of Castle's jaw dropping when he saw her playing in her head.

She shook her head, sighing. No man had ever made her feel like this. Humming to herself while prepping, eager for a date. Only Castle could do that and it was…odd. Pleasant, but odd.

Once she finished inserting her earrings, simple diamond posts, she left the bathroom, beginning to head toward the elevator to meet Castle downstairs. However, she stopped, hearing a tussle by the doors. What the hell?

She walked over, eyes widening when she spotted Castle shoved against the wall, Esposito gripping his shoulders. Ryan stood by him, attempting to free the author from Esposito's hold.

"Espo," she called, stalking toward the trio. "Get off of him!" He loosened his hold on Castle, but he didn't turn to gaze at his comrade.

"She told you to stay away from her," Esposito said to Castle.

She rolled her eyes. Although, to be fair, he and Ryan didn't know she was seeing Castle, so she understood the mix up. However, it didn't mean she liked the way her fellow detective was treating her boyfriend.

"Esposito, it's fine."

"You sure? You don't want us to put him in lock up?"

From the corner of her eye, she saw Ryan eyeing Castle and her, the pieces falling into place as he took in their attire.

"Uh, Javi," Ryan started.

"Because we'll more than happy to teach this guy a lesson about stalking," Esposito continued.

"Javi," Ryan stated again in an annoyed tone.

"What?" his partner snapped, scowling. The Irishman's eyes flicked back and forth between Kate and Castle again, Esposito following his gaze. He groaned.

"You have got to be kidding me," he muttered. "He's your date? What did he do to get you to go out with him, after what he did?"

Castle shrugged. "Beats me. I wonder the same thing quite often." He tossed her a smile and she smirked.

"Alright, guys, let him go. We're going to be late and I don't need his publisher yelling at either of us."

He gave her a grateful look as Esposito backed away, grumbling.

"Ready to go?" Castle asked, holding out his arm.

"Yep," she replied, looping her arm through his. "Night, guys. See you tomorrow!" She laughed as they entered the elevator, leaving the boys wearing confused and surprised expressions on their faces.

"Guess we shocked them," Castle muttered. "Oh, before I forget," he said, reaching into his jacket and pulling out a rose. "For the lady."

"Thank you, Castle," she hummed, grasping the stem, rolling it in between her fingers. "It's beautiful."

"Beautiful flower for a beautiful woman."

She gazed at him, an amused expression on her face. "You're sappy tonight. And you don't look so bad yourself."

"Well, it is our first date, technically. I think I'm entitled to a little sappiness."

She chuckled, leaning her head against his broad shoulder. He placed a gentle kiss the on top of her forehead.

"You prepared to meet everyone?" he asked.

She sighed. "No," she grumbled, earning a chuckle.

"You'll be fine."

They exit the elevator, walking outside to the car.

"Well, m'lady, your chariot awaits." He gestured to the open car door and she took a deep breath before sliding in the back seat. She shouldn't be nervous, not really. However, there was a nagging feeling in the back of her head that something could go wrong. She had been so confident earlier, but now she realized she could stick out like a sore thumb. She wasn't one of the high elites, so to speak and she hadn't done any real socialization in weeks, with the exception of Castle and work. The night might turn out to be a mess!

As if sensing her nervousness, Castle placed a reassuring hand on her knee.

"You'll be fine," he said, giving her a wink.

She swallowed, nodding as the car pulled to a slow stop. He opened the door for her, holding out his hand. Plastering on a smile she took his hand, feeling slightly more at ease as their fingers came into contact.

Well, here goes nothing.

* * *

The party seemed to be everything he'd grown to expect. Bulb flashes, woman gazing at him, some shouting his name, and the all the autographs he would be doing later. Same old, same old.

The only thing that wasn't the same was the gorgeous and intelligent woman on his arm. She wasn't the usual fair picked out from some bachelorette list. No, he picked her, or rather, she chose him. He gazed at her, smiling as she adjusted to the crowd. She grew more into her element, which helpfully stayed once Gina whisked him away for reading.

"There are a lot of girls here," Kate commented teasingly. "Lots of chests." She eyed him and he gave her a sheepish grin.

"Yeah, I might have to sign some of those," he warned. "Don't worry, I won't look."

She snickered. "As long you don't feel them up, we're good."

"Oh, there's only one pair I want to feel." He waggled his eyebrows, earning a snort.

"Well, the doctor did give me the all clear."

He pouted, about to respond when he spotted Gina weaving through the crowd.

"There you are, Rick!" she exclaimed, tugging him on the arm. "It's time to get up there."

"I know," he said.

"Oh," she said, addressing Kate. "I don't know what you did, but thank you. You finally got him to produce something for once."

"I don't know what I did either, honestly," Kate admitted.

"Well, whatever it is, keep it going." Gina then led Rick to the podium, doing a quick introduction, allowing Rick to get into his element.

When he reached the stand, he eyes examined the fairly large crowd, all eager to hear his words. However, his eyes automatically landed on her and his body relaxed, the words flowing from his mouth. Everyone appeared entranced, including her. When he finished, he relished in the applause for a moment before joining her again.

"How was I?" he asked.

"Hmm, it was…okay," she answered, eyes light, full of mirth.

"Liar." He bumped her hip gently. "I saw how mesmerized you were."

"Yeah, yeah," she mumbled, taking a sip of a champagne glass she must've snagged earlier. "Time to meet some of your friends?"

"And sign autographs," he added. He hated this part, now. Last time he didn't mind so much, but now he'd rather stay and chat with his friends and introduce Kate.

So, they moved through the barrage of people, occasionally being stopped by a fan asking for an autograph on a book or other places. Rick made sure his gaze didn't linger, which caused him to receive a brief kiss on the cheek from Kate once or twice.

They talked to some of his fellow author friends, who congratulated him for being back in the game. They talked politely to Kate, but Rick could see the occasional raised eyebrow. He rolled his eyes internally before turning to another set of friends. When the rounds were done, they went to the bar, where his mother and Alexis waited.

"How are you two?" he asked.

"Good, just studying," Alexis remarked. "I did talk to some of my friends."

"And I went fishing," the elder red head said. "Though there wasn't much to catch." Her expression appeared disappointed. "Maybe an extra martini or two will remedy that."

Rick groaned, having no desire to hear his mother's night plans.

"It's been fun, actually," Kate chirped from his side. "Castle has some…interesting friends."

"I'm sure you met his poker buddies," Martha remarked.

"Yep. They even invited me to play with them at some point. "

Rick smirked, his friends not knowing how much trouble they were in. During her time off, they would play poker on occasion and she won a number of times. So, she would be on his team if they ever played against his fellow authors. They'd be sure to win.

"That should be fun," Alexis said.

"Mhmm," she hummed, finishing off her glass.

"I'm surprised Paula hasn't gone after me, yet," he commented.

"Rick," a voice called and a slight whine emanated from him.

"Spoke too soon, darling," his mother stated.

"Richard Castle," Paula said, stalking up to him. "If you ever make it this hard to schedule a venue again, I will personally see to it that you do everything by yourself next time. Understood?" She glared and he shrank a little into Kate.

"Yes," he squeaked.

"Good." Looking satisfied, she continued. "Tonight went smoothly and very nicely. Keep this up and maybe they'll be a book deal for this series."

"Well, that's not completely up to me," he answered, eyes sliding to Kate. His girlfriend blushed, clearly not enjoying being put on the spot.

"Well, hopefully you let him keep writing, since apparently you're his inspiration. Trust me, if you want to keep swimming in money, then you'll be smart."

Kate raised an eyebrow. "I beg your pardon, but I'm no gold digger. I can hold my own, thank you very much," she replied, her tone sharp. Rick restrained himself from puffing up his chest and giving his agent a 'so there' look.

"Oh, feisty. I like you," Paula replied before turning a pointed look to Rick. "Don't mess this up." Then she disappeared into the crowd.

"She's lovely," Kate muttered.

Rick scratched the back of his neck nervously, glad Kate stood up for herself. "Yeah, she and Gina can be quite scary when they team up."

"I can tell."

He rolled his eyes, pulling her closer to him so that her head rested on his shoulder.

"I'm surprised no one asked me about Nikki Heat. Not that I really want them to."

He snorted. "Don't worry. It'll happen once people put two and two together. They only ones who figured it out were my fellow writers."

She laughed. "Only because you bragged about me being your inspiration, your muse."

"Hey, having you as inspiration is certainly something to boast about."

"Mhmm."

Alexis snickered, stopping their banter by saying, "Well, I have to go, since I have an exam tomorrow." She closed her book, hopping off the bar stool.

"How I got a responsible daughter, I will never know," he mused, giving her a kiss on her forehead before she headed downstairs.

"I'll go with her. I'm too tired to go on another expedition tonight." His mother smiled, pride in her eyes. "Tonight was lovely Richard. I'm glad you're finally able to write again."

"Thank you, Mother."

She nodded before heading in the same direction Alexis went.

Rick turned to his date, who looked fairly energetic still.

"What about you? I know you have work tomorrow."

"I don't go in until later, unless a body drops. Besides, don't you need to stay?"

He shook his head. "Not really, I did my duties. We can hang out at the loft or your place?"

She thought for a moment. "My place."

Decision made, they headed downstairs after he notified Paula and Gina he was leaving. Thankfully, they seemed fine with it.

The couple went to the car and slid into the back seat, Rick placing his hand on her knee.

"Tonight was fun. I've never been to any of these before," Kate commented, voice full of wonder. Good, it made him happy that she had a nice time.

"I'm glad you found it enjoyable, because they'll plenty of them in your future." Her eyes widened at his implication. Yes, he was in this for the long run. He hoped, and pretty sure she was too.

He leaned over, pressing his lips to hers for a gentle, slow kiss. She pulled him in, their kiss becoming more fierce and frantic. Just as it started to get really heated, the car came to a stop, and they both groaned.

"Come one, let's go up to my apartment," she said, quickly following him out of the car, her eyes full of lust. The sight almost made him shiver in delight.

After thanking Thomas, they all but ran into the building and the elevator. He silently cursed as two other people were in the elevator, meaning he needed to keep his hands to himself. He could tell she felt the need to do the same, since she kept clenching her hands into fists, the ever present buzz between them brewing.

After what felt like forever, the doors opened to their floor. The couple practically ran down the hallway, Kate inserting her keys into the lock the moment she reached her door. As soon as she opened the door, he followed suit, turning her around and continuing their kiss. Backing her up against the wooden surface, becoming adventurous, his hands roaming her sides.

"Castle," she moaned as his hand crept under her shirt.

"Yes?" he breathed into her neck, peppering little kisses along it. She tasted so good. He wanted, no, needed, more.

"Bed, now," she commanded.

He stopped suddenly, backing away enough to look at her. He searched her face for any evidence of uncertainty, but found none.

"Are you sure?" he asked anyway.

"Yes."

With that, she crushed her lips to his again, stopping long enough to take his hand and guide him to her bedroom. Leading him to the bed, she gently pushed him into a sitting position, climbing on afterward to straddle him.

He glanced up at her, gazing at her in wonderment. Never had he seen such an appealing site. Not that Kate was never appealing, but this particular situation was something he'd fantasized about for quite a while.

While he stared at her, he saw a flicker of something in her eyes. Not just lust, no; something more than that. Love, maybe? Yes, he believed that's what it could be. Love. With that look, he knew this was it for him, that she was it for him. There would be no other woman in his life that would make him feel like she did. He thought about it earlier, but he felt more sure now than ever.

"What?" she asked with a chuckle tilting her head in curiosity.

"Nothing," he said, before going to kiss her again.

There was little talking after that.


	22. Chapter 22

AN: So, here's the next chapter! I've been busy, and now finally done with college. Hence, why this chapter took so long to put out. Thanks to all the follows, favorites, and reviews for this story. I really appreciate them!

Disclaimer: I don't own Castle.

* * *

Chapter 22

Kate awoke the next morning to the feeling of warmth beside her. She smiled, snuggling closer to her lover. She so didn't want to get up yet. Glancing at the clock, she scowled, noting the time of eight in the morning. Great, two hours until work. Unfurling herself from Castle, she stretched before picking up his shirt and putting it on herself. She inhaled, grinning as his scent hit her nose before she shook her head. God, he made her so silly sometimes.

After answering nature's call, she padded into the kitchen, started the coffee maker, and grabbed two mugs and her usual brand of coffee beans. As the mixture brewed, she looked around, feeling lighter than ever before. She knew it had everything to do with the man still sleeping in her bedroom. Her lips curled up at the thought.

Last night had been incredible, fantastic even. Sure, she had great nights before, but with Castle it felt different. It felt real. What was more important, however, was that she didn't feel so afraid. She didn't want to run away at the first sign of her emotions. Perhaps it was because of last night and how well their date had gone, or even the rest of the night. Whatever it was, she loved the feeling and wanted to embrace it.

As she poured the beverage into the mugs, she heard heavy footfalls come from her room.

"Morning," she greeted, handing him a cup.

"Good morning," he mumbled, taking a sip in his half dazed state. "You're up early."

She shrugged. "Well, I do have to go work in a couple hours. I like to be awake before I walk through the door."

Placing his cup on the counter, he reached his free hand out, gripping her waist and pulling her in. "I could've woken you up properly," he murmured, his lips skimming her jaw.

"I thought I'd save your stamina. We did go three times last night," she husked.

He scoffed. "Calling me an old man, huh? Maybe I need to prove otherwise." He picked her up, resting her on the counter before situated himself between her legs.

She chuckled. "Down boy," she chided, pushing him away before sliding off the surface and landing on her feet. "I do need to get ready for work and I'd rather not smell like sex."

"But I like that smell on you." He pouted.

"Yeah, well, I'd rather not raise eyebrows," she teased.

"Fine," he relented, backing up a bit.

She finished her coffee, placing her mug in the sink. As she turned around, her eyes fell upon the closed shutters against the wall. Her lips turned down, as they always did when the makeshift murder board fell into her line of view.

Noticing her change in mood, he said. "She'd be proud of you. After everything you've been through, you're still strong, you're still tall." He smiled, his eyes glistening with sincerity.

She ducked her head, a blush forming on her cheeks. She didn't agree with him, but she wasn't going to argue. It's hard to fight the logic of a man who wrote a whole book based on her.

"Thank you," she answered, giving him a chaste kiss on the his lips. "Now, time for me to get ready for work."

He sighed in disappointment as he gave her one last kiss and headed out the door, promising to text her later.

As the door shut behind him, Kate felt her heart flutter. All thanks to the man who just left.

She hoped the feeling lasted forever.

* * *

The next few weeks went by smoothly, with the exception of the questions Kate received from her team that morning. Ryan and Esposito quizzed her up and down, demanding to know what happened to make her change her mind about the writer. She explained the situation to them and they seemed satisfied with the answer. As long as she was happy, they were happy.

Lanie was tougher to convince, since the M.E. knew how heartbroken Kate had been over her initial decision to kick Castle out of her life. After a longer explanation than the one she gave the boys, and promises to keep her updated on the relationship, Lanie finally approved.

As the weeks flew by, the weather slowly began to change. The crisp, cool air of spring soon turned into the humid, sweltering heat of a New York City summer. Along with these changes came those of Kate's case on her attacker. With the help of Castle and his 'resources', she was able to at least put a name to the face of the man who attacked her. His name? Cole Maddox. Besides that, she couldn't find anything on the man, which didn't surprise her in the least. The name was most likely one of many aliases the man probably used to keep his business as a hitman going. However, she had a name, and that was good enough for her, for now.

If she'd discovered information a few months ago, it wouldn't have been enough. In fact, she would've pursued it, potentially landing her in the same position Castle found her all those months ago. However, he kept her grounded during their investigation and she couldn't be more thankful. He gave her a reason to live and showed her that life was worth experiencing, even if she didn't solve her mother's murder.

So, their current position had them laying on the couch, both sufficiently full after yet another meal with the Castle clan. They had gone over her mother's case file again before Martha and Alexis came through the door earlier, putting the investigation away for another day. Kate kept getting better about putting time aside for the case instead of letting it consume her. So, the computer was shut down for the night as Alexis, Castle, and Kate cooked dinner while Martha recalled stories from the current role she played.

"So," Castle started, running his fingers through her hair, her head on his chest. "I have a question for you."

"No, I'm not digging out my Lieutenant Chloe costume and posing for you," she mumbled, grinning at the memory of when he discovered her favorite show as a teenager. He'd teased her, until she revealed she still had the cosplay outfit from when she was nineteen. Ever since then, he begged to put it on for him. She hadn't caved, yet.

"No, not that, but I would totally welcome that." He chuckled. "Anyway, it's the middle of June and every year, Alexis and I go out to the Hamptons. I was wondering if you would like to join us. Even if it's just for a week?" He gazed at her, his puppy dog eyes starting to form.

She frowned. "I don't think I can," she replied. She wanted to go, oh she so did, but she had been out of work for so long….

"Why not?"

"I used up all of my sick days and vacation days, I think." She couldn't remember, having lost track due to all of her time out of the precinct.

"Actually, you have enough vacation days squirreled away for a week and a half." He waggled his eyebrows and she huffed.

"How did you…"

"Your captain may have let it slip during our last poker game."

She groaned. Of course. Being poker buddies with her captain did give him that advantage. He'd told a while ago that he played with the mayor and her captain. Part of his "Gotham" crew, as he called them.

"Okay, okay, I'll come," she peered up at him, thrilled to see a look of child-like glee on his face.

"God, good. We leave next week. You can come with us or maybe later in the month," he babbled.

She laughed, silencing him with a passionate kiss. "I'll come with you. This way, I'll go before things pick up at work. You wouldn't believe the amount of murders we get during the summer."

"Due to the amount of television shows I watch, I think I can," he joked. "Anyway, that sounds like a plan."

"Yep. I should probably dig out all those bikinis I own," she pretended to muse, earning a sweep of her body from him. "You're too easy."

"I hope you bring at least one." He leered before turning gentle, placing a kiss on her forehead. "Honestly, I would just be happy if you bring only yourself."

"And clothes," she teased. Picking her phone up from the table, she glanced at the time and frowned. "I better get going. I have to be at the precinct early tomorrow and staying here is going to guarantee a late bed time."

"If you must," he sighed dramatically, releasing her from his embrace.

She gathered her things, said goodbye to Martha and Alexis, and began to leave.

"I'll let you know if Montgomery approves my time off," she said.

"Oh, I think he will."

"I hope you didn't bribe him," she warned, knowing how pushy Castle could get.

"I didn't bribe him. I just offered an incentive of borrowing one of my cars for a date night with Evelyn."

She rolled her eyes, attempting to hold back a smile. She wanted to be mad, but his eagerness to spend time with her was kind of cute.

"Don't do it too often. I don't need a reputation around the precinct."

He scowled playfully. "Yes, dear," he murmured, kissing her on the lips as she headed out the door.

"I'll text you later." She walked down the hall, giving him a little wave.

She stepped into the elevator, grinning. The Hamptons. Wow. She would start packing, once Montgomery gave the okay on her time off. She would still ask, even if Castle did bribe her boss.

She couldn't wait to spend a week with the Castle family. It would break her away from the usual drudgery of the summer at the precinct, full of murders and paperwork. Then again, the family had been turning her life upside down since she met them. Regardless, she knew she would have a great time.

Now, she just needed to figure out what to pack.


	23. Chapter 23: Epilogue

So, here's the next chapter! Longer note at the bottom.

Disclaimer: I don't own Castle.

* * *

Epilogue

Rick hummed as he plopped burgers onto a plate, showering them with BBQ sauce. As he poured, he looked out the window, observing two of the most important women in his life swim. He lips curled up as Kate stepped out, dried herself off with a little more sway than necessary. Tease.

Then, he peered down at the plate, groaning as he realized the meat is drenched in more than enough sauce. And now, the thought has his mind going other places, ones that involve a certain detective...

"Old habits die hard, huh?" she teased as she entered the house, closing the door and walking up to him, wrapping her arms around his neck.

"Well, you are fascinating to watch," he murmured, kissing her on the lips, gripping her waist with both hands. He could feel the muscles of her toned abdomen through her one piece. When she'd come out wearing it, he'd pouted until she promised she was saving her skimpier items for when they were alone, something he definitely looked forward to.

"Yeah, yeah." She swatted his chest as he brought the plate out. She raised an eyebrow at the platter. "Got enough sauce there?"

"There's never enough sauce for my meat," he replied in a low tone. She skewed her lips in disgust.

"Ew, Castle, really? That's the best you can come up with?" Her eyes fill with mirth at the question causing him to chuckle. He picked up the plate and opened the door.

"Well, you do render me incapable of speech sometimes." He walked out onto the patio and placed the burgers on the grill, his stomach growling at smell already emanating from them.

"And sometimes I make you scream," she purred, resting her chin on his shoulder. He growled, about to turn around when a sigh interrupted them.

"I really didn't need to hear that," Alexis grumbled, grabbing a handful of pretzels from a bowl on the table near the pool.

"Sorry, Alexis." Kate threw his daughter a sheepish look before joining her by sitting on one of the lounges.

As Rick gazed at them, he grinned, the sight filling his heart with joy. This was by far the best summer he'd had for years.

He wasn't surprised when Captain Montgomery gave Kate the week off. In fact, her superior had urged her to take more time off. Kate, being Kate, declined, saying she wanted to help her team after being 'useless' for months. Her words, not Rick's. He would make sure to go through with his end of the bargain and allow the captain to borrow one of his cars for an evening or two.

What made him happiest, however, was seeing the content smile on Kate's face. She looked truly relaxed. Her mother's and her case still loomed over them, but it would be dealt with, in time. And when they did tackle it again, they would do it together.

"Haven't you learned that staring is creepy, Dad?" Alexis huffed, peering at him from over her sunglasses, eyes flashing with disapproval.

"I don't know. I mean, I did win a woman over with it," he joked.

"You got lucky," Kate shot back, a smirk spreading across her face, winking.

"Yeah, I did," he murmured. She bit her lip in response. "So, who's ready for some Castle burgers?"

Both women shot up from their seats, grabbing their plates. When Kate reached him, he wrapped an arm around her waist as she picked out the condiments for her meal.

As they chatted, both women teasing and ganging up on him at points, Rick's body filled with joy. He couldn't think of a better way to spend his summer. When he glanced at Kate, her eyes reflected the same emotions.

At the same time, an image of him sliding a ring onto her finger flickered through his mind, making him smile. Not yet, but soon.

For now, they would enjoy their week together and see what the universe had in store for them.

Knowing them, it would be quite the journey.

The End.

* * *

AN: So, yes, this is it. I couldn't think of taking this story any where without making it endless, so I decided to end it here. Thank you to everyone who has supported me in this year long journey. I really appreciate every alert, favorite, and review people have left for this little story of mine. I will be updating By the Light of the Moon soon. Until then, Happy Holidays and Happy New Year!


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